ILMAMUSI Community Forest Association received accolades from their partners the Kenya Forest Service, the Food and Agriculture Organization, Borana Conservancy, the Laikipia Forum, and Mukogodo community members for their efforts in strengthening their structures and operations at the CFA’s AGM in June.
The CFA has been able to steadily grow an institution with a fully-fledged structure and credible management team working closely with different partners within the Mukogodo landscape.
“This Association has clearly exhibited extreme levels of good governance and as such should serve as an example to other Community Forest Associations across the country on how such institutions should be run,’’ stated the County Ecosystem Conservator, Mr. Allan Ongere during the newly organized CFA’s first general meeting held on the 16th of June 2022 at Lokuseru Secondary school in the Mukogodo National Forest.
The Annual General meeting was attended by Mukogodo community members and various partners of the CFA. The meetings key agenda was to highlight the CFAs’ books of account from the year 2016 to 2020 and their general progress in relation to operations and forest conservation.
While sharing on the progress of the CFA, Mr. Lestan Kimiri, the CFA manager pinpointed that they have been able to move forward more progressively than ever before in their history. He singled out the support from FAO and Laikipia Forum for continuously believing and trusting in their ability and capability to lead a credible and robust Community Forest Association.
A clear sign of progress was the receipt of funding of Ksh 7.65 M in 2022 from FAO to help support the daily operations of the association and priority conservation and restoration projects. The funding is a true indicator of the growth of the CFA and the trust of the donors in their capacity to manage funds and deliver results.
Mr. Elijah Mboko, from FAO, shares his sentiments at the ILMAMUSI CFA AGM (Photo By: Benedict Erick Omondi)
The CFA highlighted its continued partnerships with the conservation stakeholders regarding their institutional strengthening and governance.
Mukogodo is a key part of the northern Laikipia landscape, a dry-season grazing reserve, a focal point of insecurity and livestock theft, the source of many local livelihoods, based on forest products, and a potential destination for significant growth in adventure and ecotourism. A new Forest Management Plan should help to guide these actions and investments.
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