Nandi Communities Encouraged to Grow Food Crops While Restoring Forest Sites
Featured image: Archive photograph of agriculture in Migori County, June 2026. Queen Asali / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. It does not show the Nandi programme.
NANDI, Kenya — Communities living near forest areas in Nandi County are being encouraged to grow food crops on designated restoration sites while helping protect newly planted trees, according to an October 11 report by Kenya News Agency.
The approach links environmental recovery to household livelihoods. In principle, carefully managed cultivation can provide a short-term benefit to participating households while encouraging them to care for young trees, but its success depends on how the land is managed.
Restoring a forest requires more than planting seedlings. Species selection, maintenance, protection from grazing and monitoring of tree survival all influence whether a site develops into a healthy woodland.
Participation should not be confused with permission to clear or cultivate protected forest land. Any farming activity must take place only in locations authorised by the relevant forest authorities and follow their restrictions on crops and land use.
Residents considering participation should request details of designated plots, planting arrangements and their responsibilities for protecting trees. Officials will also need to show how restored sites are monitored after cultivation ends.
