Wood Industry in Kenya Powers a New Wave of Green Growth
Posted on : Friday , 31st July 2026
Kenya’s expanding wood products sector is creating new opportunities for sustainable tree growing, local processing and value addition. Agroforestry systems involving grevillea, eucalyptus and fruit trees are providing farmers with timber, fuelwood and income, while also contributing to soil conservation and landscape restoration. The development of sustainable wood value chains could create jobs, strengthen local industries and support Kenya’s transition towards a greener economy.
Wood remains an important resource for Kenya’s economic development, supporting industries including furniture manufacturing, construction, packaging, electricity transmission and housing. Across Africa, more than 600 million people depend on forests and trees for their livelihoods, while the continent consumes around 100 million cubic metres of value-added wood products annually. In Sub-Saharan Africa, biomass accounts for approximately 70–80% of household energy consumption, demonstrating the continuing importance of wood-based energy systems.
In Kenya, on-farm forestry has become a critical source of timber and poles, with publications by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) indicating that it contributes around 40–50% of the country’s timber and pole supply. The growing contribution of trees cultivated on farms presents an opportunity to expand sustainable wood production while reducing reliance on natural forests.
The country’s wood-processing sector also has significant potential for further growth. Kenya’s sawmilling, furniture, wood-panel, paper, pole-treatment and packaging industries could benefit from improved technologies, skills development and greater investment. Strengthening local processing would allow more value to be added to locally produced timber, create employment opportunities, support small and medium enterprises and reduce dependence on imported processed wood products.
Expanding commercial plantations, community forestry and on-farm tree growing, alongside improved wood-energy technologies such as efficient cookstoves, briquettes and modern bioenergy systems, could help Kenya meet future demand while reducing pressure on forests. Stronger policies, certification systems and innovative financing will also be essential to encourage investment in sustainable forestry and agroforestry.
According to Jane Mutune, Landscapes Governance & Livelihoods Specialist, Landscape Alliance, and Peter Minang, Africa Director, Landscape Alliance, Africa has the natural resources, growing markets and human capacity needed to build a thriving wood-based bioeconomy. For Kenya, expanding farm-grown trees, strengthening local wood-processing industries, promoting wood-based products, improving wood-energy efficiency and creating supportive policy and financing frameworks could help generate green jobs, improve livelihoods, reduce emissions and support climate action.
