The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry is rolling out tree-growing and planting initiatives in schools across the country through establishing nurseries in order to raise both tree and fruit tree seedlings.
The initiative aims at inculcating a culture of tree growing among schoolchildren to conserve the environment and support livelihoods through income from the sale of seedlings and improved nutritional components from fruit tree seedlings.
Speaking when she led the tree planting exercise at Wareng' High School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Environment Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Mulongo Barasa emphasised the need to impart a culture of tree growing to school children to ensure sustainability in terms of environmental conservation from generation to generation.
She noted that the programme will contribute to achieving the 15 billion trees target as per the presidential directive, which is looking forward to restoring degraded land, boosting water conservation and promoting biodiversity. "Far beyond that, when you look for instance, at fruit trees, they are going to address food security issues and also the commercialisation of some trees for timber and non-timber for medicinal purposes, among others.
