A local firm has announced plans to plant over 1 million trees by 2027 as it joins the state in conserving the environment, while also countering climate change that has caused devastating drought.
Shajanand Holdings Company in response to President William Ruto’s call to plant 5 billion trees as a long-term strategy to combat drought and hunger, has unveiled its roadmap to achieve its target as part of effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.
The company located in Kisumu County working in partnership with Miral Welfare Foundation Kenya incorporated learners at Kochieng Primary School, Kadibo Sub County to plant 400 tree seedlings in the school compound on Thursday.
Speaking during the tree planting exercise, Shajanand Managing Director Ravjid Chhabhadia expressed that the initiative focuses on nurturing young children to be environmental conservationists through growing trees.
“We intend to inculcate the culture of tree planting among the young ones to boost tree cover in the region. Trees support human life in many ways, hence, we urge pupils in school to take lead in bettering the environment through planting and nurturing trees,” Ravjid stated.
Addressing the school children, teachers, parents, and community members who gathered to participate in the drive, Ravjid revealed that the company is committed towards the sustainability of the project.
So far, the company dealing in the manufacturing, construction and transport sectors has planted over 200,000 tree seedlings in Kisumu and Eldoret towns.
“Climate change has caused devastating effects on human life and has derailed economic activities forcing various stakeholders to join the government in taking urgent actions to reverse the situation,” Ravjid observed while calling upon other industry players to come on board.
The initiative augments Kisumu County Government’s efforts to partner with stakeholders to scale up forest cover in the area.
The lakeside county targets to plant 40 million trees by December 2022 as envisioned in the County’s Integrated Climate Action Plan.
According to Kenya Forest Service (KFS) reports, the national forest cover stands at 8.83 per cent. The leading county in forest cover is Nyeri with 40.89 per cent while Kisumu is at 1.55 per cent against the constitutional set target of 10 per cent.
By Robert Ojwang’
