Nairobi: The national government, through the Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy, has announced a new initiative to pay stipends to youths involved in the protection of tree seedlings in Nandi and Kisii counties. A Senior Deputy Secretary in the Ministry, Hezron Nyamberi, disclosed that funds would be allocated to compensate youth scouts engaged in weeding and safeguarding tree-growing areas.
According to Kenya News Agency, Nyamberi made these remarks during a tree planting exercise in Kubujoi Forest, located in Nandi South Sub-County. He emphasized that the engagement of youths in Kisii County has yielded positive results, with no reports of uprooted or destroyed seedlings since the initiative’s inception in September. This success has prompted plans to extend the effort to Nandi County.
Nyamberi highlighted the Ministry’s collaboration with local communities to select scouts for tree protection tasks, which include weeding and safeguarding grown trees. He also urged agencies,
non-state actors, and partners to collaborate with the Ministry to rehabilitate degraded sites in Nandi County. The Ministry aims to plant 10 million trees, with contributions from the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunication and the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, each responsible for planting 5 million trees in the targeted counties.
Despite efforts, Nyamberi noted, only 20,000 seedlings have been planted this year, falling short of the 500,000 target due to erratic rainfall patterns. On a recent day in Kubujoi Forest, only 1,000 seedlings were planted instead of the planned 10,000 due to adverse weather conditions.
Nandi County Forest Conservator Dennis Kerengo assured support in identifying suitable individuals from the community to protect the trees. He revealed that 8.6 million trees have been planted in Nandi County this year, aiming for a target of 17.4 million. Kerengo stated that the Kenya Forest Service is collaborating with organizations like One Acre Fund and Eastern
Produce Kenya to ensure a steady supply of seedlings for planting next year. He also encouraged the cultivation of fruit tree seedlings due to their high demand outside gazetted forests.
Kerengo pointed out that Nandi’s gazetted forests cover 63,000 hectares, or about 26 percent of the land area, which is below target. He emphasized the need for planting efforts on private firms’ land, tea estates, and government properties like institutions and schools. The County is working towards achieving the President’s directive to plant 15 billion trees in the next decade by ensuring 30 percent tree cover on every land unit.
Deputy County Commissioner Nandi South Mokin Ptang’uny remarked on the local community’s enthusiasm for the tree planting directive as a strategy against global warming. He highlighted community efforts, including a local initiative encouraging households to plant trees corresponding to their cumulative ages, and monthly tree planting activities led by local leaders.
Various partners, including
the National Government Administrative team, Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies, Media Council of Kenya, Communication Authority of Kenya, and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, have pledged their commitment to this environmental initiative.
