RFUK expands support to community monitoring of carbon markets in Kenya

01 October 2024

Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is partnering with Shibuye Community Health Workers, the Kenya Land Alliance and TMG Research gGmbH  to launch a new programme aimed at monitoring the impacts of carbon market initiatives on local communities. The collaboration, which builds on existing efforts, will expand RFUK’s use of  ForestLink, (called Haki Ardhi in Kenya) to support women with land rights issues and examine the effects of carbon offset programmes on vulnerable populations.

Haki Ardhi is currently active in the Kakamega and Taita Taveta regions, where it has been instrumental in addressing land rights challenges faced by women. This work will now extend to Trans-Nzoia County, where local communities are grappling with new difficulties arising from carbon market schemes.

RFUK’s partners in Kenya are expanding their monitoring work to Tranz Nzoia County (shown on map alongside Kakamega where they currently work) where they will be checking the impact of carbon markets on local communities.
RFUK’s partners in Kenya are expanding their monitoring work to Tranz Nzoia County (shown on map alongside Kakamega where they currently work) where they will be checking the impact of carbon markets on local communities.

Local partners report that these programmes are having unintended consequences, particularly in terms of food security and gender equality. In some cases, land once used for subsistence farming has been repurposed for carbon capture, threatening local food supplies. Furthermore, what financial benefits there are from carbon capture projects often flow predominantly to men, who traditionally hold tenure rights, leaving women excluded from these transactions.

Reports also indicate that this shift in income dynamics is creating tensions within households and communities, leading to potential gender-based conflicts. In isolated areas, where communities rely on forests for hunting, gathering and traditional medicines, restrictions on access to forested lands have severely impacted their ability to sustain their livelihoods.

Voluntary carbon markets have faced intense international scrutiny in recent years amid numerous media exposes and reports that have called into question their social and environmental integrity. These problems have been particularly pronounced in Africa where several countries including Kenya have struck deals with foreign carbon companies for vast tracts of land, often with little or no consultation of effected populations.

RFUK’s new programme aims to document these impacts, offering vital support to affected women and marginalised communities. By providing information, legal assistance and advocacy, the initiative seeks to ensure that carbon markets do not exacerbate existing inequalities or harm local food security.

For more information, visit Kenya Land Alliance, Shibuye Community Health Workers, TMG Research gGmbH and RFUK’s ForestLink (Haki Ardhi).

You can also access community awareness raising guide that RFUK and partners produced in Swahli here. To learn more about RFUK’s Climate Justice work, contact us at info@rainforestk.org

Lakeside, Nakuru National Park, Kenya.
Lakeside, Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

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