Kenya is addressing the decline of its mangrove forests by involving private investors, as public funds alone cannot meet the restoration needs.A two-day National Mangrove Stakeholder Forum in Kilifi County brought together government agencies, researchers, conservation groups, and private sector representatives to discuss financing solutions.

Principal Secretary for Forestry, Gitonga Mugambi, emphasized that mangrove conservation requires collaboration between communities, researchers, and private investors.Kenya's mangroves, covering 61,271 hectares, are shrinking at 0.7% annually due to illegal harvesting, pollution, and climate change.

The forum aimed to create long-term programs backed by institutional partnerships to protect these ecosystems, which provide climate mitigation, shoreline protection, and livelihoods for coastal communities.

The initiative aligns with Kenya's 15 Billion Trees Programme and climate commitments, framing mangrove restoration as both an environmental and economic opportunity.