Kindiki calls for global action to combat land degradation

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki at the official opening, 11th Ocean Conference, Mombasa. 

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged the international community to intensify efforts to restore degraded rangelands and strengthen ecosystem resilience, warning that livelihoods, food security, and environmental stability are increasingly under threat from land degradation.

Speaking during the Global Observance of Desertification and Drought Day in Vipingo, Kilifi County, Kindiki said Kenya remains committed to large-scale ecosystem restoration initiatives, including the ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 to counter drought, desertification, and environmental degradation.

“We must recognize the magnitude of the challenge before us and the duty the present generation owes not to ourselves, but to future generations,” he said.

The event was held under the theme, “Rangelands: Recognize, Respect, Restore.”

The Deputy President noted that rangelands, wetlands and forests are critical ecosystems that support food production, water security, and millions of livelihoods. He warned that continued degradation of these resources has far-reaching economic and social consequences.

“When land loses its productivity, farmers lose harvests, people lose income, pastoralists lose livestock, communities lose water sources and young people lose opportunities. The consequences are poverty, conflict and displacement,” he said.

Prof. Kindiki emphasized that wetlands and other fragile ecosystems should not be viewed as wastelands but as productive natural assets that sustain communities and biodiversity.

He called for greater accountability in environmental conservation efforts, saying governments and stakeholders must establish clear timelines and monitoring mechanisms to ensure restoration targets are achieved.

“We know what we need to do. What we must do now is provide timelines and establish a way of checking ourselves to make sure that we are on track,” he said.

The Deputy President highlighted Kenya’s collaboration with international environmental agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), saying global partnerships remain essential in tackling land degradation and climate change.

He also announced that Kenya’s 15-billion-tree programme will prioritize locally beneficial species such as mangroves, coconut, mango and cashew nut trees, particularly in coastal counties.

“These trees do not only help conserve the environment; they also create wealth and put money in the pockets of the people of Kilifi and the entire coastal region,” he said.

Prof. Kindiki directed authorities to scale up mangrove restoration efforts in Kilifi as part of broader plans to rehabilitate coastal ecosystems and improve climate resilience.

He further pledged continued government support for community-led conservation initiatives, stressing the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into environmental restoration programmes.

“We have not inherited this land from our ancestors; we have only borrowed it from our children,” he said.

The event was attended by Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ngeno, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP Dr. Ida Odinga, senior UNEP officials, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders.