Boost to fighting forest fires as KFS receives equipment

Efforts to conserve the country's forest cover have received a major boost after the Kenya Forest Service(KFS) received Sh2.99 billion worth of equipment to fight forest fires.

The equipment donation is part of a technology-led project initiated by KFS to manage and deal with fires. 

The latest boost on the project involves the development of fire detection, availing of surveillance and digital radio communication systems, supplying various preventive and firefighting equipment, and providing firefighting vehicles, troop carriers and drones.

Additional assistance includes supplying personal protective equipment and tools, institutional support through training and creating a training centre at Londiani-based Kenya Forest College.

With an implementation timeline of 28 months since January last year, French company Tyllium SAS and Tyllium EA are seeking to improve KFS capacity.

In turn, Kenya will contribute Sh500 million towards the project, whose aim is to build institutional capacity to respond to the threat from forest fires thus ultimately contributing to the strategic goal of achieving and maintaining the target 30 per cent tree cover for environmental sustainability.

Speaking during the handover of the equipment at KFS headquarters along Kiambu Road, Cabinet for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Aden Duale thanked France for the donation, saying it marked a significant milestone in the capacity development project for modern technologies in forest fire management.

“The partnership between France and Kenya has spanned decades. It has yielded impactful projects such as the Mikoko Mangrove Restoration, the Lake Victoria Ecosystem Management, the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture and today's initiative further solidifies our shared commitment to forest protection, to climate action and to sustainable development,” said Duale.

He added: “Kenya faces escalating climate change impacts. We suffer prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and rising temperatures and all this heightens the fire risks. These fires threaten our biodiversity, our human lives, livelihoods and making proactive management essential.”

According to Duale, the project aligns to the country's national goal to grow 15 billion trees by 2032, and that collaboration between the two governments exemplifies the power of technology and global partnership in tackling climate change.

“As we advance, we remain dedicated to sustainable forest management and community development," he said adding government’s commitment to the protection of the ecosystem and the transformation of the forest is real, downplaying concerns that trees are being cut in Karura Forest.

A clip showing trees being cut down before being transported has been doing rounds on social media, sparking speculations.

“Our commitment is one that President William Ruto himself is leading with a 15 billion tree-growing campaign. I was here on Saturday. You can carry any fake news, you can do any propaganda, but the truth shall set us free,” he said.

He said 30 per cent of the 15 billion seedlings will be fruit trees distributed to rural homes and farmers to help the country reduce poverty among the communities while building climate resilience.

France Minister of State for Francophone and International Partnerships Thani Soilhi said the project demonstrates the historic partnership between France and Kenya in the areas of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

“It embodies our common commitment to the fight against climate change in a context where 2024 is already the hottest year on record,” said Soilhi.

He added: “France is pleased to share with Kenya ambitious national environmental policies. I also think that our two countries share a strong vision within multilateral environmental negotiations, whether during the climate and biodiversity COPs or on the negotiations for a global treaty on plastics.”

France is upbeat that the project will enhance the country's resilience to climate change while benefitting sectors such as agriculture, water and tourism.