RESTORATION OF KAMATIRA FOREST IN WEST POKOT COUNTY

  TITLE OF THE PROJECT:

Restoring Resilience: A Community-Driven Initiative for Protection and Afforestation of Kamatira Forest in West Pokot County.

2.    Implementing Organization:

Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation (TLPF)

The Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation (TLPF) is a respected non-profit organization founded by world-renowned peace icon and athlete, Dr. Ambassador Tegla Loroupe. The Foundation is known for its pioneering work in promoting peacebuilding, environmental stewardship, education, and sustainable development among pastoralist and conflict-prone communities in Kenya, particularly in the North Rift region. Through its Peace and Education Centre in West Pokot, TLPF has mobilized thousands of youths and communities to embrace peaceful coexistence and resilience-building, including climate adaptation practices. This project builds on TLPF’s longstanding commitment to community-led development and climate justice.

       3. Background and Context.

About West Pokot County:

Located in the North Rift Valley region of Kenya, West Pokot County covers an area of approximately 9,169.4 km². The county is home to a diverse population primarily composed of pastoralist and agropastoral communities who rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. With more than 80% of its land categorized as semi-arid and arid, the County faces acute challenges related to land degradation, deforestation, food insecurity, and climate-induced disasters such as floods, prolonged droughts, and landslides. Forests such as Kamatira, Sondany, Solion, and Kuper are crucial to the County’s ecological balance and biodiversity, yet they continue to suffer extensive degradation due to human encroachment, charcoal burning, and unsustainable harvesting practices.

Kamatira Forest Profile:

Kamatira Forest is a gazetted forest situated in Pokot South Sub-County, covering approximately 4,507.79 hectares and a perimeter of 29.6 kilometers. It forms part of the Cherangani Hills ecosystem and is critical for water catchment, climate regulation, and biodiversity conservation. However, the forest is under significant pressure from encroachment, illegal logging, overgrazing, harvesting of medicinal plants, and a lack of enforcement and community sensitization. The depletion of forest cover is further exacerbating environmental degradation, poverty, and insecurity in the region. This project seeks to reverse this trend through a comprehensive community-led forest restoration and protection strategy that aligns with global, national, and local development priorities.

       4. Problem Statement.

The degradation of Kamatira Forest threatens the ecological and socio-economic stability of West Pokot County. Encroachment for agriculture and settlement, overgrazing, illegal logging, and the unregulated extraction of medicinal plants have all contributed to its rapid degradation. The absence of trained forest personnel, limited environmental awareness, and poor infrastructure further weaken protection efforts.

The consequences include increased vulnerability to climate shocks, reduced water availability, loss of biodiversity, declining agricultural productivity, and escalating poverty levels. Unless urgent restoration and protection efforts are undertaken, the forest will continue to decline, compromising the county’s resilience and development prospects.