Review of the Wood Industry in Kenya; Technology Development, Challenges and Opportunities

Forest sector continues to support livelihoods in Kenyan, providing forest-related goods and services. The Kenya Green Economy Strategy Implementation Plan 2015 (GoK, 2015) STATES THAT NATURAL RESOURSE-BASED SECTORS CONTRIBUTE ABOUT 42% OF THE COUNTRY‟S GDP. It‟s most significant contributions are in energy for industrial processes and domestic use. Other major uses include timber for building and construction as well as environmental services such as regulation of water flows, local climate conditions and provision of carbon reservoirs and sinks (Githiomiet al., 2012). The forest cover in Kenya declined during the period 1990–2000 from 7.98 to about 2.3%, but has now taken an upwad trend, due to improved afforestation activities and is projected to reach about 7.5% in 2018 (KFS, 2013).