Duale Proposes Loans and Waiver of Land Rates to Boost Private Forest Owners Under KFS

Private forest owners could soon access loans from the government in a new move aimed at encouraging Kenyans to take up forestry.

According to the Draft Forest Conservation and Management (Private Forests Registration) Regulations, 2025, the government plans to introduce the Registration of Private Forests Regulations, which will enable private forest owners to access financial support.

The regulations, as stipulated in the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016, allow private forest owners to apply for loans from the Forest Conservation and Management Trust Fund.

Specifically, Section 33(3)(b) of the proposed Act states that upon registration, owners may apply "to the Fund, subject to the availability of funds, loans from the Fund for the development of the forest, provided that the funds are obtained and utilised in accordance with the procedures set out by the Service." A panoramic view of Mau Forest land InfoNile To qualify for these benefits, forest owners must register their forests with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).