Kenyan research body intensifies efforts to save sandalwood

The Kenyan Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) has made steady progress in conservation of sandalwood, a rare species whose demand in overseas markets has skyrocketed.

Researchers at the state agency have developed an innovative conservation model to reverse the loss of various species of sandalwood due to illegal harvesting and natural calamities.

At present, farmers in Kenya's lower eastern counties have been roped in by KEFRI to help scale up conservation of different species of sandalwood.

Giathi Gitehi, a botanist at KEFRI, said Thursday that the small holder farmers have been trained on how to establish seedlings for the sandalwood tree.

The seedbeds are used as demonstration plots to teach farmers from other parts of the country how to plant and nurture sandalwood until maturity.

Sandalwood can thrive in the arid and semi arid regions while its products if harvested prudently can support growth of cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries in Kenya, according to the botanist.

Smallholder farmers have embraced growing of sandalwood aware of its huge ecological and economical value.

Martin Kithanze, a farmer in Kitui County, who has vowed to increase the number of sandalwood in his farm, has been encouraging his peers to take up this venture.

Kenya put a ban on harvesting of sandalwood in 2007 though criminal networks continue to harvest the tree and smuggle its products to foreign countries where demand is high.

Illegal harvesting of sandalwood has been rampant in the Rift valley region and lately it has peaked in pristine forests located on the lower eastern parts of the country.

Gitehi said that enactment of laws is not enough to halt loss of sandalwood hence the need to explore other innovative conservation models.

"Over exploitation of the sandalwood, if not checked, could lead to its extinction and therefore we must invest in new conservation models to save a rare but priceless tree species," said Gitehi.

Gitehi revealed that involvement of smallholder farmers in the Rift valley and lower eastern parts of Kenya has strengthened conservation of sandalwood.

He added that indigenous conservation methods that are cheaper have reversed the loss of sandalwood due to over-exploitation and climatic vagaries. Endit