Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has rallied farmers in Eldama Ravine to adopt the Shamba System in efforts to boost food security.
Wandayi called on locals to grow trees and crops to curb food insecurity in the country and fight climate change whose effects have been felt globally.
He was speaking at Narasha forest, in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County accompanied by Deputy Governor Felix Kipng’ok among other government officials during a tree planting event.
The CS stated that the Energy and Petroleum Ministry had rehabilitated 1,593 hectares of water catchment planting 3.6 million trees across the country.
“In efforts to achieve the government’s 15 billion tree planting, the ministry has planted 3.6 million trees with an 80 per cent survival rate which is impressive, thanks to the community for the support and nurturing of the trees,” the CS said.
The CS explained that the ministry was working to achieve the 5.3 million tree target yearly by joining forces with communities.
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The trees, Wandayi explained,influence water, which the ministry depends on in generating energy and for steam in geothermal stations.
“We need water, meaning we should conserve our forest by planting more trees. In Baringo, we have geothermal sites in Tiaty, where we are planning to install geothermal plants to produce electricity,” he added.
On his part, the Deputy Governor urged the locals to concentrate on planting trees and conserving the forest to avoid intercommunity conflicts which were witnessed five months ago in Eldama Ravine and Mogotio Sub Counties.
“Months ago, rivers in Mogotio were drying, this was the impact of deforestation, something that should have been avoided, let plant trees, to conserve our environment,” Kipng’ok said.