By Winnie Kamau
Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya is one of many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa currently experiencing one of the most alarming food crises in decades. Severe drought, due to the failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, has pushed over 4.4 million Kenyans into food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
This has led to the joining of hands between the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and the Conservation Alliance of Kenya to help mitigate the ongoing climate crisis.
Speaking during the meeting, Cabinet Secretary of Environment Soipan Tuya noted the urgent need of restoration of the environment “The National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign seeks to help in the creation of jobs and supporting livelihoods. We are going to enhance Agroforestry and Restoration of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in ways that make those landscapes profitable and provide useful ecosystem services” says CS Soipan.
Adding “We continue to work on a Jaza Miti application which is domiciled at the Kenya Forestry (KEFRI) which will help every Kenyan to take tab of their effort be it an individual or an organization…Going forward we shall incentivise Kenyans with certificates of Green Conduct” says CS Soipan.
Conservation Alliance of Kenya CEO Mr. Steve Itela shared the overview about CAK as an umbrella organization with 65 registered members working across the country.
“CAK influences decisions at all levels, is committed to conservation and is well resourced to support the Ministry because of the expertise it has among its membership” says Itela.
“We have propagated 5 million seedlings in readiness of the rainy season and we have 1.5 million seeds”explained Kimotho Kimani, Permanent Secretary Forestry, Kenya.
The Greening Kenya campaign requires shared responsibility, enhanced ambition, innovation, renewed commitment and adequate funding.
More than 90% of Kenya’s landscapes are facing some form of degradation 61% and 27% facing high and severe degradation respectively. Due to this, Kenya is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years, attributed to climate change.
Kenya’s forest cover stands at 8.83% forest cover, and 12.3% tree cover. The campaign will increase the national tree cover to 30%, grow 15 billion trees for restoration of 10.6 million ha of degraded forests and other landscapes by 2032.
The campaign which is a special Presidential Program for accelerated forestry and rangelands restoration is a Global call for action to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation as a nature-based solution to the triple planetary crisis.
