The Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) Through the State Department for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development is conducting Schools' Greening programme across the six counties of West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, and Samburu counties to plant 1 million tree seedlings to conserve the environment and support communities' livelihoods.
Speaking during the launch of water projects and tree seedlings distribution exercise to schools and communities in Soy and Kapseret sub counties in Uasin Gishu County, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development, Kello Harsama underscored that the initiative was a big milestone towards the President's directive to plant 15 billion seedlings by 2032.
He indicated that the schools and communities' boreholes in the two sub counties will serve the schools and over 3000 households who had not had access to clean water for a long time and were forced to source water from nearby rivers for domestic use while at the same time take animals to the water sources in order to drink. "Thank God we now have good access to clean water, the schools in this county are also supported with 200,000 tree and fruit seedlings to support both primary and secondary schools in order to conserve the environment while at the same time providing them with nutritional components through fruits," noted the PS.
The ASALs PS hinted on increasing the number of seedlings in the area especially for fruits noting that the region is very fertile which will help boost food security as per the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) on agriculture as a key pillar for economic growth, food security, and farmer empowerment. "Remember the president's directive to plant 15 billion seedlings by 2032 and to support local communities in line with the Kenya kwanza manifesto to access food and good living standards which are recommended," added PS Harsama.
