Seliphar Musungu, KAKAMEGA
Kakamega Forest Community Association CFA are in support of recent remarks of deputy president Rigathi Gachagua on forest farming saying that it will increase food production.
Speaking in Baringo Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said that the Kenya kwanza government will bring back a controversial system that will allow Kenyans to farm inside forests to increase food production in the country arguing that the outgoing government made an error in abolishing the system.
“There was a shamba system that allowed Kenyans to cultivate food crops like maize in the forest as they take care of the trees and leave when the trees grow big. We have issued an order that Kenyans be allowed to do farming in the forest so that we can increase food production in our country,” said Mr. Gachagua
Muileshi Community Forest Association lead by their chair John Mbai and Aggrey Lukano who is the head of tree planting in Kakamega forest are in support of the suggestion made by the deputy president saying that they were highly affected with lack of food after the outgoing government banned them from farming in the forest.
“We as CFA take care of Kakamega Forest. We are in support of the shamba system because it will boost food production and food supply. We will plant maize and other food crops and plant more trees at the same time to avoid climate change,” said Mbai
Muileshi members who work together with Kenya Forest Service to conserve, protect and rehabilitate Kakamega forest have said that the Shamba system will be of great help in environmental conservation and to make sure that Kenya attains 10% forest coverage.
“I urge the youth around Kakamega forest to take up the task and come up with more nursery trees that will be planted in the forest and community shambas,” He added
Members also advised the Kenya forest service to make an official announcement very first that will allow them to start farming.
“Planting food crops in the forest will not kill nor destroy trees, they are observations that we will follow and we will consider while farming our aim is to protect and plant more trees cultivation will only boost the activities,” said Lukano
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