DIASPORA & MIGRATION

Kenya’s PELIS Trades Biodiversity for Livelihoods and Tree Cover Gains

vivian peter September 9, 2025 0

Nairobi, Kenya – The Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), a government-backed initiative in Kenya’s forest sector, is drawing mixed reactions as it continues to balance biodiversity concerns with community livelihoods and forest restoration goals.

 

Under PELIS, farmers are allowed to cultivate food crops on degraded forest land while planting trees, a strategy officials say has helped restore thousands of hectares of forests while also supporting rural incomes.

 

Environmentalists, however, caution that the practice risks eroding biodiversity, as monoculture plantations often replace indigenous tree species. They warn that the long-term ecological costs could outweigh short-term livelihood benefits if not properly managed.

 

On the other hand, supporters argue that PELIS has significantly increased tree cover, improved food security, and empowered forest-adjacent communities with economic opportunities.

 

The Kenyan government has pledged to expand PELIS as part of its target to achieve 30% national tree cover by 2032, while promising stricter monitoring to ensure ecological sustainability.

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PELIS Kenya-Forestry Biodiversity-Kenya Tree-Cover-Restoration Forest-Livelihoods-Kenya Climate-Change-Africa Community-Forestry-Kenya
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Vivian Peter Lamtuda

Diaspora & Migration

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Kenya’s PELIS Trades Biodiversity for Livelihoods and Tree Cover Gains

Nairobi, Kenya – The Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), a government-backed initiative in Kenya’s forest sector, is drawing mixed reactions as it continues to balance biodiversity concerns with community livelihoods and forest restoration goals.   Under PELIS, farmers are allowed to cultivate food crops on degraded forest land while planting trees, a strategy officials say has helped restore thousands of hectares of forests while also supporting rural incomes.   Environmentalists, however, caution that the practice risks eroding biodiversity, as monoculture plantations often replace indigenous tree species. They warn that the long-term ecological costs could outweigh short-term livelihood benefits if not properly managed.   On the other hand, supporters argue that PELIS has significantly increased tree cover, improved food security, and empowered forest-adjacent communities with economic opportunities.   The Kenyan government has pledged to expand PELIS as part of its target to achieve 30% national tree cover by 2032, while promising stricter monitoring to ensure ecological sustainability.

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