Vihiga, Kenya – The Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP) II in Vihiga has undertaken an afforestation campaign by planting 200 Hass avocado seedlings at Friends College Kaimosi. The initiative is part of the national effort to plant 15 billion trees over the next decade.

According to Kenya News Agency, the County Project Coordinator of ASDSP II, the decision to plant fruit trees is strategic. Not only do these trees contribute to combating climate change, but they also provide food for the college community. The college Deputy Principal, Lydia Sonkole, expressed the institution’s commitment to the government’s tree-planting goal, aiming to raise one million trees within the ten-year period.

Sonkole highlighted the college’s substantial student population, exceeding 6,000, as a vital resource for providing the necessary labor for the project. She called for further assistance from the county department of agriculture to meet the ambitious target.

Vihiga County has set a goal of planting 23 million trees in the next ten years, which translates to approximately 2.3 million trees annually. This campaign is a crucial part of the county’s efforts to contribute to national environmental goals and foster a sustainable future.