Mr Gachagua, the shamba system is a no-no

The proposal by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for the local people to grow crops in forests under a revived shamba system is ill-advised. That could cause long-term effects on the ecology, climate, economy, culture and water conservation.

The DP never considered that the disadvantages of farming activities in forests far outweigh the advantages. The likely negative repercussions include desertification, soil erosion, reduced water conservancy and interference with the climate through increased gases in the atmosphere.

Other negative effects could be extinction of wildlife and their habitat and increased flooding.

The DP seems to have made a political directive to appease certain communities and voters without considering government and international policies.

Ironically, when he made the statement, his boss President William Ruto had just presented good views to the UN General Assembly in New York on how to manage climate change globally.

Mr Gachagua can’t fool us that the people can farm in forests without cutting down trees. It’s obvious. His idea, if implemented, would reverse the gains made by previous regimes in forest and water conservation and also lead to droughts and famine.

In fact, construction of dams would be “unnecessary since there would no water to conserve”.

Among others, forests have flora and fauna; save energy; conserve indigenous trees, some of which are used as herbal medicine; and cultural and tourism sites.

President Ruto and environment protection activists should reconsider this harmful decision. The DP should not be seen to be on a revenge mission and reverse everything by what he considers past enemies.

Damson Opiyo Onger, Kisumu

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The recent statement by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that the Ruto government will reintroduce the shamba system is unfortunate, to say the least.

The government need demarcate and put physical markers on official forest boundaries and remove all types of human activity in the forests. That should include abolishing the Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation and cancelling private and public titles in gazetted forests.

Nobel laureate Prof Wangari Maathai said: “I reflect on my childhood experience when I would visit a stream next to our home to fetch water for my mother. I would drink water straight from the stream....

“The stream has dried up, women walk long distances for water, which is not always clean, and children will never know what they have lost.”

The reduction in water volumes is a direct consequence of loss of forest cover, interference with wetlands and human activity along a river’s course.

John T. Mukui, Nairobi