![INCORPORATION OF JAPANESE BEST PRACTICES IN FORESTRY INTO THE KENYAN FORESTRY SYSTEM
AAP Master Course Birundu A. Osindi
[Introduction] There is considerable unsustainable pressure on Kenya's limited forests, which currently stands
at just 7%. Some of the reasons attributed to the overdependence on forests and their resulting deforestation
include poverty, insufficient non-wood energy substitutes, stagnant economic growth, and failure to revise and
improve existing forest policies and laws. On the other hand, Japan’s forest cover stands at 67%, despite the
fact that Japanese people depend on forests for various uses, such as timber products, pulp, and woody biomass,
just as is the case in Kenya. The goal of this research was to assess forest management practices, utilization
techniques, technologies, and policies that have helped Japan to achieve a higher and sustained forest cover, and
determine whether they can be incorporated into the Kenyan forestry system.
[Materials and Methods] The research study is classified into two major sections; i.e. 1) assessing Kenyan and
Japanese forest and biomass policies, and 2) analyzing if small-scale forest mechanization is possible in Kenyan
forestry. The major sources of data in the section 1 were secondary sources, obtained from governmental
institutions, journals, and other reputable organizations. Field visits were also conducted to assess biomass
policies and utilization status within Kochi Prefectural, Japan. In the section 2, two field studies were conducted
in October 2015 and May 2016 to analyze the operational efficiency of small-scale logging systems. The two
sites used a similar type of mini-forwarder that has a crawler under carriage and a winch. The following steps
were used in the study: 1) visiting small-scale logging sites that use mini-forwarder, 2) calculation of average
cycle times of various work elements, 3) developing equations to calculate productivities and costs of the
logging system, and 4) analyzing how the logging system compares with manual logging to come up with better
recommendations for Kenyan forestry.
[Results and Discussion] Results indicate that Japanese forest policies were formed as early as 1890s, and
have evolved to place great emphasis on silviculture, forest ownership, mechanization and commercialization.
This evolution has emphatically boosted its forestry especially plantations that currently stand at 41%, compared
to Kenya’s 5%. Conversely, Kenya’s forest policies are quite recent, having posted some impact with the Forest
Act of 2005. The Kenyan forest policies have done little to promote better silvicultural practices, plantation
farming, forest ownership, and rarely focus on sustainable biomass utilization. The field visits revealed that
biomass towns and biomass plants are enhancing sustainable forestry in Japan. Biomass towns offer training
and support services, on sustainable utilization of forests, to groups and individuals. Biomass plants utilize
virtually the whole tree to generate electricity, thus minimal wastage. It might be a challenge for Kenya to
implement such initiatives, but a SWOT analysis of the Kenyan biomass industry indicates a possibility of
adopting them in the near future. In the section 2, results showed that an increase in labor costs by a certain
margin sharply increases the resultant costs of manual logging by a higher magnitude as opposed to mechanized
logging. This means that labor costs are the major determinants for introduction of mechanized logging in
Kenya. Therefore, as Kenyan economy grows, labor costs will increase, meaning that manual logging will
become more expensive than mini-forwarder logging. This might prompt for adoption of small-scale systems
such as mini-forwarders in Kenya.
[Conclusions and Recommendations] The thorough policy formulations and implementations have helped
boost Japanese forestry, especially in establishment of well-managed forest plantations. Recommendations
include giving further attention to Kenyan policies such as promotion of silviculture, reforestation and
plantation establishment and if possible, necessary adjustments should be made to the forest policy as a whole.
In terms of forest harvesting methods, manual logging is still the most feasible logging method in Kenya in the
current situation, but as the economy grows, it will be favorable to adopt small-scale mechanized logging in its
forestry.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/4f200e07-97d4-4b0e-b0ca-3d3a01d5e8ed-161215022923/85/Thesis-Summary_Final-1-320.jpg)
Thesis Summary_Final
- 1. INCORPORATION OF JAPANESE BEST PRACTICES IN FORESTRY INTO THE KENYAN FORESTRY SYSTEM AAP Master Course Birundu A. Osindi [Introduction] There is considerable unsustainable pressure on Kenya's limited forests, which currently stands at just 7%. Some of the reasons attributed to the overdependence on forests and their resulting deforestation include poverty, insufficient non-wood energy substitutes, stagnant economic growth, and failure to revise and improve existing forest policies and laws. On the other hand, Japan’s forest cover stands at 67%, despite the fact that Japanese people depend on forests for various uses, such as timber products, pulp, and woody biomass, just as is the case in Kenya. The goal of this research was to assess forest management practices, utilization techniques, technologies, and policies that have helped Japan to achieve a higher and sustained forest cover, and determine whether they can be incorporated into the Kenyan forestry system. [Materials and Methods] The research study is classified into two major sections; i.e. 1) assessing Kenyan and Japanese forest and biomass policies, and 2) analyzing if small-scale forest mechanization is possible in Kenyan forestry. The major sources of data in the section 1 were secondary sources, obtained from governmental institutions, journals, and other reputable organizations. Field visits were also conducted to assess biomass policies and utilization status within Kochi Prefectural, Japan. In the section 2, two field studies were conducted in October 2015 and May 2016 to analyze the operational efficiency of small-scale logging systems. The two sites used a similar type of mini-forwarder that has a crawler under carriage and a winch. The following steps were used in the study: 1) visiting small-scale logging sites that use mini-forwarder, 2) calculation of average cycle times of various work elements, 3) developing equations to calculate productivities and costs of the logging system, and 4) analyzing how the logging system compares with manual logging to come up with better recommendations for Kenyan forestry. [Results and Discussion] Results indicate that Japanese forest policies were formed as early as 1890s, and have evolved to place great emphasis on silviculture, forest ownership, mechanization and commercialization. This evolution has emphatically boosted its forestry especially plantations that currently stand at 41%, compared to Kenya’s 5%. Conversely, Kenya’s forest policies are quite recent, having posted some impact with the Forest Act of 2005. The Kenyan forest policies have done little to promote better silvicultural practices, plantation farming, forest ownership, and rarely focus on sustainable biomass utilization. The field visits revealed that biomass towns and biomass plants are enhancing sustainable forestry in Japan. Biomass towns offer training and support services, on sustainable utilization of forests, to groups and individuals. Biomass plants utilize virtually the whole tree to generate electricity, thus minimal wastage. It might be a challenge for Kenya to implement such initiatives, but a SWOT analysis of the Kenyan biomass industry indicates a possibility of adopting them in the near future. In the section 2, results showed that an increase in labor costs by a certain margin sharply increases the resultant costs of manual logging by a higher magnitude as opposed to mechanized logging. This means that labor costs are the major determinants for introduction of mechanized logging in Kenya. Therefore, as Kenyan economy grows, labor costs will increase, meaning that manual logging will become more expensive than mini-forwarder logging. This might prompt for adoption of small-scale systems such as mini-forwarders in Kenya. [Conclusions and Recommendations] The thorough policy formulations and implementations have helped boost Japanese forestry, especially in establishment of well-managed forest plantations. Recommendations include giving further attention to Kenyan policies such as promotion of silviculture, reforestation and plantation establishment and if possible, necessary adjustments should be made to the forest policy as a whole. In terms of forest harvesting methods, manual logging is still the most feasible logging method in Kenya in the current situation, but as the economy grows, it will be favorable to adopt small-scale mechanized logging in its forestry.