Neema Forestry Project in Kenya

Kenya

The Neema Forestry program, located in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya, has the main objective of preserving biodiversity whilst developing a local sustainable economy.

Project

summary

The various activities put in place within the scope of the project promote the creation of sustainable companies (five to date) and support the extension of agriculture in arid zones that rely so heavily on the area.

As well as protecting forest area, many jojoba trees have been planted by the project. Jojoba culture has a high business value as its oil is used in the cosmetic industry. For example, the Neema Forestry program has developed a soap company soap is made with jojoba oil and sold within the country (and internationally). Therefore, local biodiversity is preserved while ensuring economic development.

Certified

Under

Aligning with

the Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The involvement of the local communities in the project, is a great opportunity for job development, such as the production of products such as jojoba oil. Over 330 job opportunities have been created.

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Conservation is a great measure that is effectively reducing emissions. In the framework of this project, the total amount reduced per year reaches 1.6 TCO2e.

SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss.

The development of a healthy environment to preserve biodiversity and threatened species meets the goal 15.

The result

Over 200,000 hectares of forest are preserved within Tsavo National Park
More than 370 species are now protected, including species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, such as the African elephant and the cheetah
Over 55,000 trees have been planted on communal and private lands through the organic tree nursery initiative
Over 330 employees with 300 being locally hired, a third of whom are women
Almost 10,500 vehicle and walking patrols undertaken since 2012 and 1,200 flight patrols completed since 2015 by trained rangers
Close to 1,700 scholarships have been provided to children living in the area where the project takes place
Develops alternative, sustainable livelihood opportunities: 49 crafts groups supported by the project, involving over 1,500 members – most of them being women
The Project has been elected as Best Forestry Project (2014) by the Environmental Finance Awards