The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has prioritized rehabilitation and restoration of degraded landscapes across the country as part of its elaborate ecosystem restoration strategy that includes growing 15 billion trees by the year 2032.
Speaking at an interdenominal thanksgiving service for National Treasury PS Dr Chris Kiptoo, held as part of this year’s Kaptagat Annual Tree Planting, Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said the tree growing exercise had become an anchor event of the Ministry’s 15bn national tree growing programme.
At the auspicious event graced by President Dr William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as well as several senior national and Elgeyo Marakwet County officials led by Governor Wisley Rotich, CS Tuya applauded Dr Kiptoo for initiating the annual Kaptagat Tree Planting.
She assured Dr Kiptoo of the Ministry’s continued partnership with the initiative to intensify the tree growing component of the programme going forward saying effective climate change mitigation requires a whole-of-society approach.
“Tree planting is a matter of life and death, and just like the race we have participated in today, it’s a race against time,” CS Tuya said.She added: “It is not possible to contemplate any development that’s not ecologically responsible”. In his address, President William Ruto emphasized on the need to intensify tree growing across the country in order to conserve environment, combat desertification, sustain water towers , enhance food security and improve livelihoods.
by: Manabo