Project document

11.3Private Sector

11.3.1Commercial Forest Product Dealers (Private Sector)

356. 
     The private sector consist of individuals, groups or companies with high investment capital and business skills. The main stakeholders who are commercial forest product dealers include the following: Rai – Ply in Eldoret; Pan Paper Mills in Webuye; Timber Treatment Centre in Nandi Hills; Rondo retreat centre in Kakamega; and the Kenya Association of Tour Operators.
     

11.3.2Commercial Agribusiness (Private Sector)

357. 
     Those in the private sector that are individuals, groups or companies with high investment capital and business skills involved in the commercial agribusiness sector include: George Williamson Tea Company; Eastern Produce Tea Company; Kakuzi Tea Company; African Highlands Produce; Finlay Tea Company; Unilever Tea; Nandi Tea Estate and Kapchorua Tea.
     

11.4 Civil Society Organisations

11.4.1Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

358. 
     Various local (national) CBOs and NGOs are operating within the Coastal Forests assisting in awareness raising and extension services, financing of forestry and environment activities, promoting gender roles, women empowerment and revenue collection. Civil society groups are involved in the following conservation activities: tree nursery establishment, environmental awareness creation, community policing, on-farm woodlot promotion, rehabilitation of forest, fish farming, supply of gravitational water, river bank protection and management, promotion of environmental governance, energy conservation, promotion of commercial tree planting associations, butterfly farming, tour guiding, silk processing.
     
359. 
     CSOs have been working very closely with other stakeholders especially in Cherangani, Nandi North and South. For example they have constituted project implementation committees at all the three sites where the composition of the committees includes key line ministries such as forestry, water, agriculture and wildlife, research institutes such as KEFRI, community groups, local authorities among others. The multi-stakeholder PIC is involved in planning, decision making on implementation of activities and allocation of resources and conducts monitoring. It is also accountable to the donors for all expenditure. Government technical departments support the CSOs with technical advice, equipment and materials, seedlings, among others.
     
360. 
     CSOs in Nandi North and South are also striving to work with the private sector and discussions are underway such that the partnerships can provide markets for tree products and any support to tree farmers. Private companies that have been approached and that are willing to work with the CSOs are Homa-Lime Co. Ltd, Eastern Produce (Kenya), Pan Paper Mills Webuye, Timber Treatment Centre, George Williamson Tea Estate, Rai-Ply Eldoret. However in Kakamega there did not seem to be strong collaboration between CSOs, KFS and other government technical departments and there seemed to be a lot of issues that were causing misunderstandings and conflict amongst themselves.
     
361. 
     Capacity gaps amongst CBOs include: most of the CBOs are relatively new and are still grappling with leadership and governance issues; there is still inadequate knowledge and skills on technical issues as well as management e.g. raising of tree seedlings; eco-tourism; monitoring and evaluation etc; there are inadequate communication skills for example, for changing attitudes of the public about forest ownership from negative to positive; weak lobbying and advocacy skills; lack of capital investment, equipment and materials; inadequate financial resources; difficulties with gender mainstreaming due to culture in some communities.
     
362. 
     Some of the active NGOs include: Cherangani Hills CBO Consortium, Nandi Hills Environment Forum, Kakamega Environment Education Programme, Kobojoy Community Forest Association (Nandi Hills), Kimondi Community Forest Association (Nandi Hills), Isechano Bandas Community Group (Kakamega), Osienala (Friends of Lake Victoria) Kisumu, Nature – Kenya, East Africa Wildlife Society, African Wildlife Foundation, Green Belt Movement, Forest Action Network, World Conservation Union (IUCN) EARO, Kenya Forest Working Group, World Wide Fund for Nature EARO, Kenyan Key Biodiversity Areas National Liaison Committee, Friends of Conservation, African Conservation Centre, Birdlife International, CARE International, Environmental Liaison Centre International, NEF, Kenya National Union of Teachers, Mazingira Group, Chebororwa Sekemiat, Pendakazi Y. Group, SAYSO Youth Group, Kesarine And Associates, KETEBA Self Help Group, Kamangunet Women Group, Chepkeitui Community Forest Association, Litei Self Helf Group, Pyramid Youth Group, Muileshi Cfa, Kasali Self Help Group, Munderema Bamboo Group, Kabicotoa, Community-Health Volunteers Initiative, Cacc – Shinyalu Constituency, UNDP, Jitegemee S.H.G., and Biota/Forest Again.
     
363. 
     The following table describes the activity of the primary NGOs involved in biodiversity conservation in Kenya:
     

9. 
   Primary NGOs Involved in Biodiversity Conservation in Kenya