The gap in Kenya’s timber story Kenya’s timber story has long centred on the highlands. That is where commercial species such as cypress, pine and eucalyptus have been grown. It is also where many sawmills and timber markets have developed. But land in the highlands is increasingly crowded, while Kenya’s drylands hold much of the country’s available space for tree growing. At the same time, demand for timber is growing, from furniture and joinery to construction – demand Kenya currently meets...

Coalition work is not about getting everyone to agree. It is about creating enough trust, clarity, and shared ownership for different actors to act together even when their incentives, timelines, and market pressures differ. For Bongiwe Shongwe, facilitating the Biobased Construction East Africa Coalition has meant learning this lesson in real time. Bongiwe currently serves as the East Africa Program Manager at the Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP). The Coalition brings together...

For many developers and contractors, the first barrier to greener buildings is not always technical. It is perception. That was a key challenge explored by panelists at a Kenya Green Building Society side event in Nairobi earlier this month. Panelists at a Kenya Green Building Society side event in Nairobi earlier this month. From Second left to right ,Fidelis Sakwa, Head of Innovation and Technical Services at Bamburi Cement, Pooja Khanna, Business Development and Specifications Manager at...