Kenyan Youth Perspectives on Forests:

Report from a youth-scientist dialogue on sustainable forestry

This report presents proceedings of “AfricanYouth4Forests” project workshop held in Voi, Taita
Taveta county, Kenya from 7 to 9 November 2022. The workshop was jointly organised by African
Forest Forum (AFF), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Kenya Forestry
Research Institute (KEFRI). It brought together 19 youths from Taita Taveta and Nairobi counties
between 18-25 years of age to engage with researchers and policymakers in conversations about
young people’s views, visions, goals, and ideas in shaping the future governance of Kenya’s and the
continent’s forests.

The participants identified niches for youths’ engagement in forests to improve forest cover, curb
climate change effects and improve livelihoods. The youth participants envisioned ‘a world where
young people are more involved in sustainable development by participating in the green economy.’
To achieve the youths’ vision, several actions were recommended; training the youth on sustainable
forest management and green entrepreneurship, developing markets for green products, establishing
innovative knowledge-sharing platforms, and actively involving the youths in national and
international policy processes on forests and climate change.

The outcome reflected a wide range of views and ideas among the youth, and that they have the
capacity and readiness to tackle the forest-related challenges towards 2030 and beyond. It is
recommended that the dialogue between African forestry researchers and the youth should continue.

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For more information on the “AfricanYouth4Forests” project, go to:

Engaging youth in improving livelihoods and the environment through sustainable forestry in Kenya