Our founder, Browns Plantations Kenya (formerly James Finlay Kenya) has partnered with the Initiative for Sustainable Landscapes (ISLA) in a broader effort to improve and conserve 60,000 hectares of the Mau Forest by 2030. This is in line with Browns Plantations Kenya broader effort towards restoring and protecting natural resources.
A key driver of forest degradation in this area is overgrazing by livestock, which damages vegetation and inhibits natural forest regeneration. To tackle this, ISLA is working with farmers in forest-dependent communities to intensify their dairy production. This teaches farmers best practices in cow rearing and feeding, which includes grazing livestock within their farms and feeding them with farm-grown fodder. Following a successful two-year pilot, this work was scaled up in 2021 to include more farmers and members of the wider community. The new, scaled-up project is co-funded by Browns Plantations Kenya and focuses on capacity building, including training for 756 farmers at demonstration farms.
In 2021, this project led to a 37% increase in milk production at the farm level. Four new dairy cooperatives have been established, giving farmers access to the more reliable formal markets and the ability to improve local infrastructure and the economy. 46 farmers have also invested in sustainable water harvesting techniques. By helping to improve farming methods and increasing incomes, farmers are motivated to keep livestock at home, reducing forest grazing and protecting the forest.
Browns Plantations Kenya is committed to empowering communities, protecting and conserving the environment, and fostering long-term growth in Bomet and Kericho Counties. Over the years, the company has spent over Kshs 125 million on environmental protection and conservation.