Pursuing Greener Wajir County Through Sustainable Tree Growing

In the fight against climate change, Arid and Semi Arid Lands experience a huge sustainability problem propelled by water shortage and long hours of scorching sun. However, with determination, Green Belt Initiative has renained consistent in greening Wajir County with a long term goal of turning the bare lands to green zones. This is expected not only to cool the area but also convert the arid lands to arable fields.

Since 2019,the initiative has proudly spearheaded growing of 2400 suitable Indigenous tree seedlings with 2100 still growing to this day. The initiative has been growing neem, moringa, acacia and casuarina trees whose high survival is enabled by their adaptability in the hot areas. The group has also incorporated fruit trees in the initiative to beat food insecurity in the region caused by reduced agricultural and livestock production due to unfavorable weather and pastures scarcity respectively.

As a national environmental campaigner and activism brand, Dedan Kimathi Foundation fiercely holds its place in supporting tree growing in the County. It has established a partnership with the Green Belt Initiative under the good leadership of the founder humanitarian-cum-environmentalist, Mr. John King’ori doubling up as the Foundation’s north Eastern environmental coordinator. DKF has expressed its desire to heighten tree growing in the county to escalate tree growing towards 30% national tree cover.

Among the activities to be undertaken in the new partnership include but are not limited to tree nursery establishment, voluntary tree growing in public spaces in addition to climate change sensitization in regard to plastic waste management. Kicking off the partnership yesterday, both parties engaged in a DKF sponsored tree growing activity in Fr. John Primary School in Wajir East. To ensure survival, the school set aside a team of 3 young men to water the 30 neem trees planted alternately.

‘We are sensitizing the public on importance of growing trees in these dry lands by taking a lead in growing them with students and pupils for the community to borrow a leaf from our successful projects,”Stated Mr. King’ori at the opening of the brief tree planting exercise. ”We donate a few suitable tree seedlings in the identified public spaces to ease after care hence be assured of highly positive survival rates,” he added.

To make the most out of the current downpour, Dedan Kimathi Foundation is working closely with the initiative to donate tree seedlings and offer voluntary tree growing services to tens of identified public spaces in Wajir East sub-county this April.

”It is a problem that we normally assume that Kenya is green while our brothers and sisters in these region continue to experience food shortages, loss of livestock due to lack of pastures while temperatures hit highest of levels making their living very uncomfortable. I feel compelled to act. Dedan Kimathi Foundation environment conservation team will be camping here soon to be a part of WAJIR GREENing initiative, ” read a section DKF CEO’s; Ms. Evelyn Kimathi’s written address to the activity participants.