Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has ordered an immediate ban on the export of raw veneer materials.
This, Duale said, will safeguard Kenya’s environmental future as it strives to achieve 30 per cent tree cover by 2032.
While the export of veneer sheets and plywood materials to countries like China has brought in significant revenue – $3.87 million (about Ksh498,726,900 in the current exchange rates) in 2023 alone – the cost to Kenya’s environment has been steep.
Duale announced the ban Tuesday August 27, and is looking at reshaping the timber industry and refocus efforts on sustainable practices within Kenya.
Duale is the former CS for Defense – until July this year in the wake of nationwide protests by youthful Kenyans over controversial Finance Bill 2024 that forced President William Ruto to dissolve his entire cabinet.
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The CS is pushing for the restoration of 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes through the planting of 15 billion trees.
Reports of immature trees being harvested from farmlands have further points to the need for this ban.
By halting the export of raw veneer, the government intends to ensure that these trees are allowed to mature, thereby contributing more effectively to the nation’s reforestation efforts.
The veneer industry in Kenya has long been a source of both economic opportunity and environmental concern.
