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For years, restoring degraded land was seen largely as an environmental responsibility, a way to protect forests, conserve water sources and respond to climate change.
Today, that picture is changing. Across Kenya, restoration is no longer just about planting trees; it is creating jobs, generating incomes and opening up new business opportunities, particularly for women.
The economic imperative is significant. Kenya's National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy estimates that land degradation affects approximately 38.8 million hectares and results in socio-economic and ecological losses of about $1.3 billion (Sh168.29 billion) annually.
The strategy identifies restoration as a pathway not only for environmental recovery, but also for livelihood creation, employment generation and improved productivity across multiple sectors of the economy.
