US supports Kenya's bid to plant 15b trees

Whitman underscored the need to incorporate schools into environmental conservation to spread the impact towards combating climate change.

She said she will be at the forefront, influencing her counterparts and other organisations to adopt environmental conservation measures.

"This is the second tree-planting I have done with schools in Kenya, we are going to do one every month. We will be heading to Eldoret next," she added.

The school headteacher Cyrus Kuria said the programme is of great economic value.

He urged Kiambaa community to embrace environmental conservation. "We have noticed a good response from the community that continues to support us in increasing vegetation cover," Kuria said.

Mercy Kamunya of Fruity Schools Africa organisation lauded Standard Group PLC for playing a leading role in greening agenda campaigns.

Ministry of Education's Mark Gathuri said: "The government plan to incorporate learning institutions in the planting of trees will yield desired results in combating devastating effects of climate change."

President William Ruto's government has been at the forefront of pushing for Africa's environmental conservation measures to mitigate climate change with Nairobi expecting to host the continental climate change summit in September this year.

The Kenya Kwanza government is seeking to realise 15 billion trees by the end of Vision 2030 through its greening agenda.