Beyond Water Challenges, Tree Growing Triumphs in Wajir County

~ Ganyure Ward, Wajir West

After travelling approximately 700 kilometres over two days from Nairobi to Wajir Town in Kenya’s North Eastern Region, the Dedan Kimathi Foundation took the lead in Wajir County’s “Adopt a Tree” environment conservation week, which ran from Monday, April 7th to Saturday, April 11th, 2025. The journey through Kitui, Tana River, and Garissa counties, marked by the intense heat and scorching sun, offered a glimpse into the harsh climate awaiting them in Wajir — a climate that not only challenges visitors’ adaptability but constantly leaves local residents yearning for cooler surroundings.

In partnership with Wajir Drylands Permaculture led by Nominated Ganyure Ward MCA Hon. Feiza Ahmed, the Foundation has advanced its climate action agenda in the region in regard to environmental education, climate change education and tree planting as urgent steps and genesis of sustainable tree growing in public sites and households in the advantage of the partnership in place with the Kenya Forest Service. Visiting the identified tree growing sites on Tuesday 8th April was an assuarance of the public schools and community members commitment to grow tree sustainably judging by the high survival rates of the trees planted previously.

Challenges to Tree Growing in Harsh Climates

Water shortages, hard and salty water, extremely hot temperatures, lack of proper fencing around tree growing areas and lack of sufficient man power for proper trees aftercare remain among the main challenges making growing trees an uphill task in the ward. However, the communities are rising above the challenges by ensuring that trees planted before are watered daily, growing trees are protected from browsing by thorny twigs barricades keeping livestock and children away besides ensuring that pupils adopt the trees for proper aftercare during school sessions while school guards water the trees on holidays.

Deepening Community Engagement

Wednesday 9th April availed a great opportunity of the Foundation Team 1 headed by Dickson Maina to engage deeply with the locals on the inevitable human need for a sustainable environment dependendent on human actions to alter the damages to nature for a promising or rather habitable planet devoid of climate change negative effects. The team conducted a 1000- tree growing activities in Wagalla, Ganyure, Kukale and Wachir Comprehensive schools all in Wajir West Sub County. Neem trees planted were 70% of the figure donated by the Kenya Forest Service in Wajir which are not only drought resistant, grow faster, remain ever green and cast great shade besides their highly regarded medicinal value by herbalists. Communities around the growing sites attended also benefitted with 2 tree seedlings per household.

Engagements with the beneficiaries was a testament of their great desire and commitment to play a part in environmental conservation to have cooler spaces around them. This would not only enable them live better but also allow grass growing and small scale crops production as an alternative to livestock keeping. Their commitment was further displayed in the schools readiness to cover extra water charges and have school guards take care of trees until schools re-open.

A Call to Sustain the Gains

Dedan Kimathi Foundation team leader expressed his admiration of the work done on the trees planted earlier while urging the beneficiaries to take good care of the newly planted trees with the little water they spare terming the water scarcity as a challenge that should not hold them back from making their environment better and comfortably harbitable each day.

Present in the tree growing caravan were Wagalla chief, Ganyure Ward administrator, Kenya Forest Service rangers, school heads and communities leaders.