The Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs, ASALs and Regional Development Penina Malonza has urged residents of Busia to grow fruit trees as an economic venture.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise at Port Victoria Forest Station, Malonza said that tree planting has economic value attached to it.
“Let us also grow fruit trees and not only for local consumption but also for export purposes,” she said, adding dragon fruit that sells at Sh400 in Kenya can be sold at Sh1, 000 in America.
She added that the extreme weather conditions of drought and floods caused by climate change for the past four years have led the country to lose Sh2.5 billion through the death of wild animals.
“For the first time the government had to purchase feeds for wild animals because they were dying of famine,” she said adding that it did not take long before Elnino rains set in followed by the long rainy season.
The CS further said that more than four million Kenyans were affected adding that a number of Kenyans are still living in temporary camps.
“The floods saw 200,000 people affected staying in 192 temporary camps,” she said, adding that 170 camps including 25 in Busia County are remaining after the closure of some.
Malonza at the same time reaffirmed the government’s dedication in implementing the six months’ campaign to support reforestation, afforestation and sustainable forest management efforts that address climate change impacts.
“The initiative will also enhance bio diversity and support the local communities towards achieving the target of growing 15 billion trees and consequently achieving 30% tree cover by 2030 by the National government.
She assured the residents of the government’s commitment to achieve its set target of planting 15 billion tress by 2032 by fast racking landscape restoration efforts.
“My Ministry shall work with you to achieve this common goal,” she said, calling for collective responsibility in transforming the environment.
Malonza also advised elected leaders not to politicize the distribution of relief food to flood victims adding that it only creates division within the community.
“The government has decided to form committees that will be composed of representatives of the affected persons in order to reduce political influence,” she said.
Busia County Forest Conservator Vitalis Osodo said the Port Victoria Forest station has 601 hectares and is purely a conservation forest and it is the only forest in Busia.
Osodo said the forest is being rehabilitated by enrichment planting where tree seedlings are planted in sections of the forest that have remained bare.
He stated that the County was given a target of raising 4 million seedlings per year in order to plant 500 hectares by the year 2032.
“That will translate to 27% of Busia County,” he said, adding that the County tree cover is currently 8.3%.
The official urged the local residents to put more effort in tree planting in order to achieve 27% which is the County’s target for 2032.
A total of 5,000 seedlings were planted in the forest bringing the total number of planted seedlings to 47,000.
The Kenya Forest Service targets to plant a total of 140,000 tree seedlings at the facility by the end of the long rain season.
During the month of May, 5,000 tree seedlings were planted at the Sio Siteko wetlands in Samia Sub County.
By Salome Alwanda
