{"id":105782,"date":"2024-12-20T12:03:38","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T12:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2024\/12\/20\/kefri-launches-ksh-30m-project-to-manage-prosopis-juliflora-in-turkana\/"},"modified":"2024-12-20T12:03:38","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T12:03:38","slug":"kefri-launches-ksh-30m-project-to-manage-prosopis-juliflora-in-turkana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/kefri-launches-ksh-30m-project-to-manage-prosopis-juliflora-in-turkana\/","title":{"rendered":"KEFRI launches Ksh 30M project to manage prosopis juliflora in Turkana"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) has launched a Ksh 30 million project focused on the sustainable management of Prosopis juliflora<\/em> to create green jobs and improve livelihoods in Turkana West.<\/p>\n

The project, funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO), targets areas including Kakuma, Kalobeyei, Songot, Nanam, Letea, Pelekech, and Lopur, with a one-year implementation plan.<\/p>\n

By leveraging climate-smart technologies, the initiative seeks to transform the invasive species into an economic asset. Key activities include carbonization for briquette and biochar production, as well as charcoal value chains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough research, the project will empower communities to produce high-value animal feed from Prosopis<\/em> pods and twigs for commercialization, enhancing their economic well-being,\u201d said Patrick Mwirigi, KEFRI Assistant Director for the Turkana Region.<\/p>\n

Mwirigi emphasized that tapping into emerging research and transferring knowledge will be critical to the project\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

A state-of-the-art Prosopis<\/em> Training and Incubation Centre will also be established in Turkana to build entrepreneurial capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn partnership with the Turkana County Government, Kenya Forest Service, and business stakeholders, KEFRI aims to shift perceptions of Prosopis<\/em> from an invasive nuisance to an economic resource,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Adopting an Employment Intensive Investment Approach (EIIP), the project aims to create 1,040 green jobs and directly benefit approximately 8,000 households in the region.<\/p>\n

At the project launch, 30 Kakuma Bee Group members\u2014drawn from host and refugee communities\u2014were trained on diversified Prosopis<\/em> value chains.<\/p>\n

The training covered soap, body cream, candles and beauty product production, as well as exploring the medicinal benefits of Prosopis<\/em> byproducts like wax and honey.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the event, Mwirigi highlighted the economic gains already realized through Prosopis<\/em> utilization.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch shows that communities generate up to Ksh 45 million annually from activities such as charcoal and pole sales. These figures can grow further through environmentally friendly alternatives like briquette production,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

He underscored the project\u2019s dual focus on economic empowerment and sustainability, describing it as a key driver of local development.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur approach advocates for the control, sustainable management, and utilization of Etirae<\/em> (Prosopis<\/em>) to mitigate its risks while maximizing its benefits,\u201d Mwirigi explained.<\/p>\n

The role of Prosopis juliflora<\/em> in apiculture was also emphasized, with members of the Kakuma Bee Group acknowledging its value as a critical forage source for bees.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see the potential to expand beyond honey production into ventures that promise better incomes and more job opportunities,\u201d said one group member.<\/p>\n

Despite its invasive nature, which has led to challenges such as encroachment on grazing lands and farmland, KEFRI Research Scientist Joan Kibet highlighted its untapped economic potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Prosopis<\/em> presents challenges, its opportunities in beekeeping, energy production, and other sectors are immense,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

The project represents a paradigm shift in managing Prosopis juliflora<\/em>, turning it from an ecological menace into a catalyst for economic growth and environmental sustainability.<\/p>\n

The post KEFRI launches Ksh 30M project to manage prosopis juliflora in Turkana<\/a> appeared first on KBC<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) has launched a Ksh 30 million project focused on the sustainable management of Prosopis juliflora to create green jobs and improve livelihoods in Turkana West. The project, funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO), targets areas including Kakuma, Kalobeyei, Songot, Nanam, Letea, Pelekech, and Lopur, with a one-year implementation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105782\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}