From June 11th–13th, 2025, Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF) was honoured to participate in the National Learning Exchange Policy Platform held at Lake Naivasha Resort. The event was convened by CIFOR-ICRAF, with the final two days co-organised in collaboration with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) as part of the Right Tree, Right Place – Seed Project (RTRP-Seed). This initiative is anchored within the Quality Tree Seed for Africa Project, under the TerraFund for AFR100.
The three-day policy dialogue brought together a wide range of restoration stakeholders from across the country, including restoration champions, civil society organisations (CSOs), and representatives from county and national government agencies. Among the key institutions present were KEFRI, KFS, KWS, FAO, KEPHIS, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The platform offered a space to examine Kenya’s evolving seed and seedling systems, surface key policy gaps, and strengthen collaborations that support inclusive and science-informed restoration.
The sessions were dynamic and engaging, comprising panel discussions, value chain mapping exercises, gallery walks, table dialogues, and a participatory “3 Whys” analysis. Central to the conversations were issues of seed quality, certification barriers, limited access to diverse indigenous species, and the need for policy harmonisation across relevant agencies.
LWF Executive Director Celline Achieng’ makes a contribution during the policy dialogue session, seated alongside Amos Kingori, Secretary of Shamanek CFA, and John Kiongo of LWF
“There should be more effort to reduce the cost of certification and harmonise procedures, too many agencies and requirements make the process unnecessarily expensive.”
— Celline Achieng’, Executive Director, Laikipia Wildlife Forum, quoted in Forests News
LWF was among a select group of restoration champions invited to join follow-up sessions with practitioners from policy-implementing institutions on June 12 and 13, where we had the opportunity to engage more deeply on actionable policy recommendations. During the World Café session, we also had the chance to showcase our ongoing restoration efforts, highlighting our commitment to promoting native tree species through community-based nurseries in Laikipia. These nurseries not only increase access to indigenous seedlings but also empower local communities to participate meaningfully in restoration economies.
Celline Achieng’, John Kiongo and Amos Kingori present LWF’s grassroots restoration efforts during the World Café session, spotlighting the role of community-based nurseries in advancing native tree species adoption
Throughout the exchange, LWF emphasised the need for locally adapted, high-quality planting material and the importance of aligning grassroots restoration efforts with national policy frameworks. Our participation reinforced our belief that long-term success in restoration depends not only on sound science and community engagement, but also on policies that enable access, equity, and scale.
As restoration actors look ahead, LWF will continue to work alongside partners and government agencies to ensure that restoration interventions are both impactful on the ground and well-anchored in policy. We thank CIFOR-ICRAF, BGCI, and all participants for fostering a collaborative space for meaningful dialogue and joint action.
