There is a new trend in Kilifi county where giant mature baobab trees are being uprooted and sold abroad for between Sh100,000 and Sh300,000.
According to confirmed reports, farmers in Tezo, Kilifi county, have so far sold tens of trees to foreign contractors, who ship the trees to transplant them in the US.
Environmental groups are calling this new trend ‘biopiracy’, adding that it has a negative impact on the environment, especially Kilifi that is already grappling with severe drought.
Baobab can also withstand harsh climatic conditions.
It is not clear why the buyers target the mature trees, instead of the seedlings.
Kilifi county has since announced plans to stop the exportation of these mature trees abroad, as the business is a threat to the environment and the heritage.
Kilifi County Executive Member for Environment Said Omar said if the business is not stopped immediately, the region might lose all its baobab trees.
“The exportation of baobab trees is wrong. Those trees are very important to the residents as they act as a source of income,” Omar said.
He said the trees take a very long time to mature hence residents should focus on planting more seedlings for sale, instead of mature trees.
"We are telling them to plant seedlings and leave Kilifi green. They should let the Kilifi people enjoy the fruits of the baobab, which can be used for income generation as well as [for] our heritage,” he said.
According to residents, a group of foreign and local contractors began prospecting for baobabs in late 2019.
They were searching for baobab trees that meet their specification, which include untarnished trunks.
Abbas Mohamed, the chairman of Baobab Community Development Initiative (Bacodi) in Malindi, said baobab trees have a lot of benefits for the community.
The baobab trees provide habitat to numerous animal species and birds and their removal has a negative ecological impact.
Mohammed said the baobab fruits have medicinal value and help treat diabetes, high blood pressure and other types of ailments.
“It’s important for us to protect the baobab trees. They are our cultural heritage, that's why we are in the forefront in conserving the environment and trees," he said.
Mohamed warned those people who are behind the plan of selling mature baobab trees for export that it has negative repercussions to the community.
Mohamed Bwana, a member of Bacodi, said it was heartbreaking that baobab trees are now being sold and exported, yet they are trees which have been protected for many years.
He said Coast is known for its baobab trees which have been growing for many years and called on the authorities to intervene and stop the illicit trade.
Research shows that baobab trees, commonly called the iconic trees of life, grow in 32 countries in Africa and can live for 5,000 years.
Further, the wonder tree can reach 30 metres high with a circumference of 50 metres.
The baobab tree is succulent and absorbs water during the rainy season which is stored in its vast trunk that enables it to produce a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry seasons.
(edited by Amol Awuor)