President William Ruto has instructed the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to look into the ongoing uprooting of baobab trees in Kilifi county for export to Georgia.

This is after Ariba SeaWeed International got a green light from local authorities to cut the trees in Mtondia and Tezo in Kilifi for botanical purposes.

But in a statement on Monday, November 21, the Head of State said the ongoing exercise must conform to existing regulations including the Convention on Biodiversity and the Nagoya Protocol.

President Ruto also noted that the program must benefit Kenyans as well as be in line with the country’s agenda of playing 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.

“There must be adequate authorisation and an equitable benefit-sharing formula for Kenyans. Further, the exercise must be in line with the Government’s agenda of planting 15 billion trees in the next 10 years,” Ruto said.

I have instructed the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to look into the ongoing uprooting of Baobab trees in Kilifi County to ensure that it sits within the Convention on Biodiversity and the Nagoya Protocol.

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) November 21, 2022

Baobab tree export approvals

The Kenya Forest Service gave the company the permit to cut the baobab trees for export on November 1.

While granting the approvals, KFS said the baobab is not a protected tree species in Kenya. The agency also affirmed that the tree is not on any appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade.

The forest service gave the green light following the National Environment Regulatory Authority’s approval through an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.

Both the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) and the Kilifi county government did not oppose the plans to cut the trees for export.

Reports indicate at least eight huge baobab trees have already been uprooted ready for export to Shekvetili Dendrological Park Ltd in Ureki, Ozurgeti Municipality.

Meanwhile, Ruto’s directive comes weeks after he committed to spearheading efforts to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.

Ruto, in his speech during this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, said Kenya intends to plant five billion trees in the next five years through Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme.

He revealed that the programme will be spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, various experts and partners in government, UN organisations, NGOs, and academia.

“The objective is to grow 5 billion trees in the next 5 years, and an additional 10 billion trees by 2032.

“This will eventually lead to the rehabilitation and restoration of 10.6 million hectares in the 290 constituencies, as well as some specially selected ecosystem and water towers threatened by degradation and destruction,” he said.

Ruto said to achieve the plan, the government will support efforts by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to produce high-quality tree seed in their 18 Tree Seeds Centers countrywide.

“Agro-forestry and farming of avocados, mangoes, and macadamia will also open new value chains for our export market, creating new green jobs in the sector.

He reiterated the 15-billion tree plan during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) held in Egypt early this month.