By Lyzzie Owade

Samuel Kinuthia has increased his flower farm earnings in Kinangop four-fold, to Sh50,000 on a quarter acre, by adding forest soil to his farm that he bought from Kenya Forest Service.

The soil from the Aberdare Forest, bought with a Kenya Forest Service (KFS) permit, has also cut his nursery germination time from 10 to seven days.

“In the nursery, before using this type of soil, I used to wait for 10 days for my crops to germinate and grow. But after using the loam soil, I only waited seven days to start planting,” said Samuel.

He first began using the loam soil in his nursery, then on his flower farm, where he had frequently uprooted flowers that failed to produce. Once he applied the soil, flower growth increased by 95 per cent, with some plants growing over a metre tall.

“This soil is more virgin, so you don’t have to use any fertilizer,” he said.

The soil is sold within the Aberdare Forest through a controlled process. Buyers must pay at the KFS office and receive a permit. The KFS officer checks where the soil is being taken, what it will be used for, and the number of tonnes. A KFS officer then accompanies the buyer to the site. The service operates only between 8am and 4pm.

KFS officer in charge of Nyandarua County, Mr Richard Guya, said that anyone collecting soil must declare where it will be taken, its purpose, and how much will be extracted. For large-scale removal, an environmental impact assessment must be done, and the type of digging machinery declared.

“The cost is Sh368 per tonne inclusive of VAT,” said Mr Guya.

Anyone digging the soil is also required to cover the exposed area with dry leaves, plant a tree on the site, and follow up on its growth. Though not compulsory, the KFS encourages these steps to stop erosion. Soil transport trucks must also be covered with nylon to prevent air pollution.