Kenya has committed to one of the most ambitious tree-planting targets on the continent — 15 billion trees by 2032. While that headline number captures attention, the more interesting story is happening quietly on farms across the country, where agroforestry is shifting from a conservation concept to a genuine livelihood strategy.
What agroforestry actually means in practice
Agroforestry is not simply planting trees near crops. Done well, it is a deliberate integration of trees, crops, and sometimes livestock in a way that creates multiple benefits simultaneously. A farmer intercropping grevillea or Calliandra with maize, for example, gains shade that reduces soil moisture loss, nitrogen fixation that reduces fertilizer dependency, biomass for fodder or fuel, and timber income years down the line — all from the same plot.
In Kenya’s drylands, farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) — allowing native trees to regrow on farmland — has been shown to dramatically improve soil organic matter and water retention within just a few seasons.
The climate dimension
With rainfall patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable across Kenya’s agricultural zones, tree cover on farms acts as a buffer. Trees moderate temperature extremes, protect crops from wind damage, and help anchor soil during heavy rains. For farmers in marginal areas, this resilience function alone is a compelling reason to integrate trees into their system.
KGAC’s work in this space
Our forestry and agroforestry consulting team, led by Dr. Shadrack Kinyua Inoti — who holds a PhD in Forestry and has published over 28 papers on forest ecology and agroforestry — works with landowners, cooperatives, and development organisations to design and implement agroforestry systems suited to specific climatic and land-use contexts.
Whether you are a smallholder farmer exploring your options, an NGO implementing a land restoration programme, or a county government working toward Kenya’s tree cover targets, KGAC can provide the technical guidance to make your agroforestry investment work.