Embu: A Non-Government Organization Rainforest Alliance has embarked on an initiative of planting trees on over 100 hectares in the arid areas of Mbeere North, Mbeere South and Mwea Sub-counties in Embu County to combat the effects of climate change.
According to Kenya News Agency, the program dubbed 'Green Rising Project' is funded by UNICEF Kenya and will be undertaken by youth in their respective sub-counties as a way of engaging them in environmental conservation matters besides offering them employment opportunities.
The initiative is being spearheaded by Mount Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods Program (MSuLLi) among other stakeholders including the County Government of Embu, Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and the Kenya Scout Movement.
MSuLLi Team Manager Dida Wario said they expect to complete the project of rehabilitating the semi-arid areas in the coming four months. 'We want to take advantage of the ongoing long rains to make sure the seedlings will survive when the season ends,' he said at a meeting with youth leaders from the area and other stakeholders on Tuesday in Embu Town.
MSuLLi Embu Chapter Secretary, Vera Murugi, said the project is set to increase the number of youths participating in the exercise to 1,000 in coming days. She called on young people to join or form welfare groups so that they can benefit from the initiative as funds are channeled to registered groups and not individuals. 'Even the tree seedlings we will be planting will be sourced from nurseries run by organized groups of young people to empower them economically,' she said.
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) County Conservator Miriam Kamau noted that the region held the biggest potential for planting trees in the county owing to it being dry. Additionally, the forester said they also have enough personnel to support the youth in selecting and matching tree species as per ecological zone.
Former Ms. Tourism Africa, Muthoni Kariuki, hailed the initiative and asked the youth to accept to be part of the solution towards a greener and better planet.