Don: Everyone should plant 300 trees annually

State Department for Energy Administrative Secretary Alan Machari and Meru University of Science and Technology VC Prof Romanus Odhiambo. [Phares Mutembei, standard]

Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) vice chancellor Romanus Odhiambo has urged every Kenyan to plant at least 300 trees yearly to realise the 15 billion by 2032 target.

Prof Odhiambo was speaking at the university’s main campus at Nchiru when the State Department for Energy issued 60,000 seedlings in support of the presidential initiative.

Odhiambo noted that a sustained tree planting culture adopted by the institution had transformed the environment at the varsity and the community living in the semi-arid Tigania West region over the last decade.

He said the forest cover at the university was at 16 per cent, which is above the national forest cover, and credited the university, the local community, and the county and national governments.

“This place was a desert. Today, after almost 10 years, we can celebrate a forest cover of around 16 per cent,” Odhiambo noted.

He said the institution was committed to supporting the presidential initiative of greening the country, as he urged Kenyans to individually play their roles by planting more trees.

“Because we are about 50 million people, that translates to around 300 trees every year. It is up to you and me to help the government realise its target of 15 billion trees by planting not less than 300 trees every year,” he said.

The Energy Department issued the seedlings for various tree species to the community and the university populations.

Principal Secretary Alex Wachira and Administrative Secretary Alan Machari said the department was strongly supporting the initiative by President William Ruto.

Wachira said the department had set an annual budget of planting 3.2 million trees in various parts of the country, in addition to the 60,000 seedlings distributed to the university and locals over the weekend.

“In Meru County, over 100,000 seedlings have been distributed to farmers in various sub-counties as part of the campaign,” Wachira said.

The PS said the department had planted five million trees across the country since the campaign was launched in 2022, “demonstrating strong institutional commitment and steady progress toward the national targets.”

Mr Machari said the department was working with locals and institutions to achieve the goal.

“We believe that when we work with the people, there is sustainability,” he said, adding:

“We are also distributing seedlings to the farmers to help us in achieving the national goal.”