Lari MP Mburu Kahangara now wants the forest conservation partnership between the government and the communities living near forests reviewed.
The law maker from Kiambu county said that communities help the Kenya Forest Service to protect the forests, but they end up not benefiting much.
Kahangara highlighted issues like roads leading to the forests and cultivation under the Plantation Establishment Livelihood Systems (Pelis) and grazing among others areas where residents don't benefit.
He said the communities have started dropping Pelis which replaced the Shamba System, since KFS banned growing of maize plants in the forests.
"So many people have stopped cultivating in the forests because of counting losses," he said.
According to Uplands forest community association chairman Charles Ng'ang'a, so many locals were left planting potatoes and vegetables.
Ng'ang'a said their challenge is now dealing with monkeys, which uproot and eat the potatoes while others eat spinach, kales and even cabbages.
The chairman noted that, when they used to plant maize, the troops of monkeys only destroyed maize, leaving alone the vegetables and potatoes.
"These primates do not eat potatoes and vegetables when there is maize plantation," Ng'ang'a said.
"However, even if they destroy our maize plantations, we feed the maize crops to our cows, goats, sheep and other animals we rear at home."
According to KFS, tall food crops were banned since they were covering trees planted and the seedlings cannot get enough sunlight which is needed for their growth.
The legislator said he will lobby other MPs table the issue in the national assembly for discussion in bid to get the way forward.
He said the community is now counting losses with so many people stopping to farm in the forest.
"If the KFS will not address the issue, we shall discuss it with other legislators and get a way forward. We need to support our people," Kahangara said.
The MP also asked the KFS to come with an agreement with the government of using one road leading to the forest during tree harvesting.
"When our trees are ripe and harvesting is ongoing, the sawmillers who get tenders to harvest forests destroy our roads with lorries carrying logs as well tractors," he said.
"We make these roads to be passable, but are destroyed within a short period of time when saw millers are harvesting. The KFS should come up with a law saying either them or the contractor or both should repair the roads they use during such exercises," the MP said.
They spoke at Uplands forest where he had represented Governor Kimani Wamatangi during the launch of national tree planting led by Ruto towards planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
He was accompanied by Uplands forester Isaac Waweru, Kiambu chief conservator Thomas Kiptoo, Kiambu county commissioner Alfred Mkangi and Lari deputy county commissioner Samuel Kariuki.
Others were MCA’s Nyutu Wamwere (Kijabe), Josphat Kinyanjui (Lari Kirenga), Lari MP Mburu Kahangara and PS’s Njoroge Gathecha (Public service) and Josephine Mburu (health).
The PS’s said they would work closely with the MP, the locals communities and the KFS to address all the challenges faced.