Over 1.3 million seedlings have been planted on 1,060 hectares of land in the ongoing National Tree Planting Campaign in Western Kenya.
According to the acting Western region Kenya Services Forestry Conservator Mr. Martin Mamati, the target is to produce and plant six million tree seedlings and plant 2,700 hectares.
Speaking to Kenya News Agency in Kakamega, Mamati said the Kenya Forest Services and partners were targeting gazetted government forests, schools, public lands, road reserves and private farms among others
The tree planting exercise is part of the Government’s plan to plant 15 billion trees across the country by the year 2032 as directed by President Dr. William Ruto.
Mamati said KFS has entered into frameworks of collaboration with both State and Non-state actors, who has adopted degraded forest sites and blocks in different parts of the country.
Under the adopt-a-forest strategy, stakeholders are allowed to invest in the restoration of forest ecosystems. “The institutions involved include the Office of the First Lady, Rachel Ruto, the International Tree Foundation, Ministry of Energy, and Jumbo Charge among others,” he said.
He said partners in the national tree planting exercise include the County governments of Vihiga and Kakamega, government departments Semi-Autonomous and Government Agencies (SAGAs), schools, community groups and farmers among others.
The Forest Conservator said the total area under the adopt-a forest strategy is 1,213 hectares, with First Lady Rachel Ruto adopting 200 hectares (about 500 acres in the Kakamega forest for re-afforestation.
He, however, said some of the key challenges facing the program are inadequate financial resources, lack of relevant staff in most areas, seed and seedlings shortages.
Kenya is scheduled to host the Special Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi from September 4-6 where African Non-State actors are taking a strong stand to ensure that the continent’s voice and aspirations are not overlooked in the global discussion on climate change.
By George Kaiga
