Empowering people, saving forests: NETFUND’s climate strategy

NETFUND CEO Samson Toniok 

In the Cherangany forest ecosystem, one of Kenya’s five critical water towers valued at an estimated Sh47 billion annually in ecosystem services, climate action is taking root through local skills development and community engagement.

Through programmes supported by the National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND), grassroots conservation groups are gaining practical expertise in sustainable forestry, climate-smart land use and community mobilisation. 

The approach places communities at the centre of restoration efforts, equipping them not only with seedlings but with the knowledge to nurture long-term environmental stewardship.

In Chebara, for instance, local conservation groups have planted millions of trees, monitored forest health and championed sustainable land-use practices, contributing significantly to the restoration of degraded areas.

“Investing in people is at the heart of every lasting environmental solution,” said NETFUND CEO Samson Toniok. 

Their goal, he said, is to empower communities to become custodians of their own future.

The capacity-building initiatives form part of a broader strategy to strengthen local participation in climate action.

Communities are trained in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy technologies and environmental monitoring, ensuring that women, youth and local institutions are equipped to lead conservation efforts.

Within the Cherangany landscape, NETFUND is implementing a €4 million restoration and sustainable management project targeting the planting of 18 million trees over three years. 

Beyond tree planting, the programme promotes sustainable land use and improved forest governance in collaboration with county governments and community organisations.

Meanwhile, in the Lake Naivasha Basin, a programme supported by the Global Environment Facility is restoring degraded catchments, reducing land degradation and strengthening water user associations and community conservation groups.

Across the two landscapes, more than 1.85 million tree seedlings have already been planted. 

Nearly 120 community-based conservation groups have also been supported to establish green enterprises, initiatives designed to reduce pressure on natural resources while generating sustainable livelihoods.

Environmental experts underscore that capacity building is critical to long-term conservation success. 

By equipping communities with technical skills, governance knowledge and leadership capacity, such programmes foster local ownership of environmental solutions, enhance climate resilience and promote inclusive economic growth.

However, challenges persist. 

Short project cycles, limited funding for institutional development and leadership training, and staff turnover can undermine sustainability. 

NETFUND and its partners are responding by embedding mentorship, continuous technical support and institutional learning into programme design to safeguard long-term impact.

Looking ahead, scaling up capacity building will require longer-term engagement, stronger alignment between climate finance and indigenous knowledge systems, and structured mentorship frameworks that extend beyond individual projects. 

Stakeholders, including government agencies, financiers, NGOs and communities, are increasingly being urged to treat training and empowerment not as optional add-ons, but as foundational pillars of climate resilience.

The ongoing initiatives in Cherangany and the Lake Naivasha Basin demonstrate a clear lesson: environmental restoration is most sustainable when communities are empowered with the knowledge, skills and confidence to protect their forests, watersheds and biodiversity for generations to come.