Kisumu County Government in collaboration with partners has embarked on a greening initiative to address climate change and boost Kisumu City’s aesthetics. Through the initiative, the county government targets to plant three million trees in three years to boost forest cover in the lakeside city. Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o said the project rolled out through partnership with Standard Chartered Bank, the Judiciary, University of Nairobi, Kisumu Environmental Champions and AAR Kenya was in response to the poor forest cover in the city. ‘Our city currently has one of the lowest forest covers in the country at about 1.55% against a national figure of 12.13%. We must act today,’ he said. Speaking during the launch of the initiative, Prof Nyong’o said rapid urbanisation continued to exert pressure on the city’s natural resources threatening their existence adding that through the greening initiative, the county government targets to address the challenge. To achieve the target, the county government through support from Standard Chartered Bank has embarked on setting up a three acre tree nursery at Slaughter House in Mamboleo. The nursery, he said will grow the three million seedlings to be planted in the city and the community to boost forest cover to 7% by the year 2027. Prof Nyong’o said the tree nursery will be run in collaboration with private tree nursery champions with technical support from the Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI). The nursery, he added will stock an assortment of indigenous trees, exotic trees and a wide variety of fruit trees to be planted in learning institutions and homesteads. ‘This initiative is critical and timely for our city as it aims to address some of the significant environmental challenges we face and promote sustainable development,’ he said. His administration, he said has issued an executive order setting aside 10th day of every month as a tree planting day for all residents of the city. ‘This is envisaged to give impetus to the collective mobilisation and active participation of all stakeholders in driving this agenda,’ he said.
Source: Kenya News Agency