The Principal Secretary, State Department for Mining, Harry Kimtai, is calling on residents of Mt. Elgon Sub-county to plant trees in large numbers in an effort to contribute to the government’s national target of 15 billion trees.
Kimtai asked women in Mt Elgon area and other areas to be on the forefront in planting the trees, as they play a crucial role in farming activities in the community.
The PS was speaking at Kaberua Forest Station today, where he led the area residents to plant 5,000 tree seedlings as part of activities aimed at restoring the ecosystem of Mt. Elgon.
He asked groups in the area to plant more seedlings in their tree nurseries and sell them to stakeholders and individuals involved in tree planting activities. This he said will enable them to generate income for the upkeep of their families.
Kaberua Forest is a block managed by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) on Mt. Elgon in Bungoma County.
The block is currently undergoing rehabilitation and one of the activities is to expand the tree nursery to produce one million seedlings annually for transplanting to restore the forest.
The Bungoma County Forest Conservator, Eric Abungu, and the Deputy County Commissioner of Mt. Elgon Sub County, Nicholas Kijuba, among other government officials, accompanied the P.S. during the event.
By Catherine Nyongesa
