By G, KNA
The State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications has procured 20,000 fruit trees seedlings to be distributed across six Sub-Counties in Nandi County.
Speaking during Mazingira Day, Nandi Central Deputy County Commissioner, Alfet Jilo, revealed that Kenya Forest Service is working closely with the department to ensure the seedlings are availed to the destined sites in time.
Jilo said the fruit seedlings will be planted in Primary Schools and public places across the county.
The DCC however called on Nandi residents to take care of the environment by ensuring a hundred percent trees survival of planted trees adding “the future depends on how we relate to our current environment.”
The Mazingira county celebrations which was marked at Terige Primary School, began with planting over 2,000 avocado and passion fruits seedlings within the school compound in an occasion that brought together school community, environmental stakeholders and government officials.
“We are celebrating the milestones we’ve taken as a country in ensuring that we are taking care of our environment,” Jilo said.
Jilo asked the Terige Primary School community to help the school and government authorities in taking care of the planted fruit seedlings.
Terige School pupils and the parents who attended the Mazingira Day celebrations were each given free mulberry and passion fruits seedlings to plant at home.
The DCC said the fruit tree planted within the school and the community will boost nutrition among the residents and avail excess for sale.
Nandi County Forest Conservator, Mr. John Momanyi said close to one million fruit seedlings were planted in 307 primary schools in the county.
Momanyi assured the Nandi County community that Kenya Forest Service shall provide needed support to ensure that tree seedlings grown are protected and everyone is brought on board in fulfilment of the presidential directive of fruit trees to dominate public schools.
The County Conservator said he was in contact with the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications and will soon distribute the 20,000 procured fruit trees across the county.
Nandi County Executive Committee Member in charge of Environment, Lands, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Climate Change, Hillary Serem, praised the initiatives and cooperation between the National and County Government of Nandi to safeguard the future of Nandi environment.
He said emphasis on tree seedlings grown are also aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change which remains a global threat to human survival.
Nandi Governor, Stephen Sang marked Mazingira Day at his Alma Mater St. Peter Clavers Kobujoi Primary School, where he led the school community to plant the trees seedlings within the school compound.