Ruto unveils aerial seeding plan to accelerate 15bn tree target

President William Ruto has unveiled an aerial tree-seeding programme to accelerate forest restoration and help Kenya achieve its target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032.

The initiative, which will target cleared forest areas and other mapped locations, is part of a broader strategy to combat climate change, restore degraded landscapes and increase the country’s tree cover.

Dr Ruto said his administration was scaling up tree-growing efforts, revealing that 5.3 million trees had been planted across the country during this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations.

He maintained that the national target remained achievable, with communities, government agencies and local leaders expected to play a central role in expanding the country’s forest cover.

“The initiative to plant 15 billion trees to mitigate the effects of climate change is still attainable. During this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations alone, 5.3 million trees have been planted across the country,” Dr Ruto said.

The President said about two billion trees had already been planted since the initiative began, adding that the Government was exploring innovative approaches to accelerate the programme and improve seedling survival rates.

Under the aerial seeding initiative, technology will be deployed to identify suitable locations for tree establishment. The Government also plans to use satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to map priority areas, monitor tree growth and assess survival rates.

Village elders have been enlisted to mobilise communities for tree-growing activities, a move Dr Ruto said would strengthen public participation and embed environmental conservation at the grassroots.

He spoke during this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations at Kenya Seed Company’s Elgon Downs farm in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County, where he also launched a programme to promote cocoa farming as a commercial crop.

The Government is seeking to expand cocoa production to diversify agriculture, increase farmers’ incomes and encourage the establishment of commercially valuable tree crops.

Dr Ruto said the relevant ministries were working with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to support the initiative, including making planting materials available to farmers.

“We have mapped out areas for cocoa production, and the relevant ministries are working with KALRO and KEPHIS to make seedlings available to farmers at Sh200 per plant,” he said.

He added that the Government would consider subsidising cocoa production to encourage farmers to embrace the crop.

The President said cocoa farming could generate significantly higher returns than conventional maize production, citing a potential net income of Sh500, 000 per acre compared with Sh35, 000 from an acre of maize.

Dr Ruto also urged Kenyans to invest in fruit trees, saying they could provide additional household income while improving nutrition. Fruit-tree farming, he said, offered an opportunity to combine environmental conservation with economic benefits, particularly for rural households seeking to diversify their livelihoods.

On waste management, Dr Ruto said the Ministry of Environment and Forestry was working with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to strengthen efforts to contain plastic pollution and improve environmental management.

“Waste management, especially plastics, has proved a major challenge in our towns, and we are pushing for a collaborative approach to contain the menace,” he said.

Meanwhile, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said Kenya had planted approximately 2.2 billion trees towards the 15-billion target, representing about 14.7 per cent of the goal.

Dr Omollo spoke during Mazingira Day celebrations at Lambwe Forest in Homa Bay County, where nearly 6,000 trees were planted against a target of 10,000.

“Mazingira Day is no longer a one-day exercise, but a whole-of-government and whole-of-society commitment with shared responsibility for planting, protecting and nurturing trees to maturity,” he said.

He said village elders had planted 7.7 million trees across more than 77,000 villages. The Ministry of Environment and the Kenya Forest Service provide technical leadership, while national government administrators mobilise communities through chiefs, village elders and public barazas. County governments support clean-up and tree-planting activities.

Homa Bay has a tree cover of 10.4 per cent and forest cover of 3.8 per cent. Dr Omollo said the county had planted 25 million seedlings since 2022 but still had considerable ground to cover to meet its targets. He urged Community Forest Associations to ensure planted trees mature and to protect forests against degradation and encroachment.

Dr Omollo also warned of enhanced rainfall and possible heavy downpours in the Lake Victoria Basin during the October-to-December season. Citing recent damage caused by strong winds in Kisumu, he urged residents and relevant agencies to take precautions, particularly to protect schoolchildren during the examination period.

In Nyeri, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira urged residents to make tree planting a household responsibility rather than limiting it to organised national and county events.

The county planted 416,600 trees during the celebrations. Mr Wachira urged residents to use the Jaza Miti mobile application to register trees planted, saying proper documentation would help the county maintain its position in tree-growing efforts. He also encouraged parents to involve children in caring for trees and the environment.

County Forest Officer Peter Koro said planting was conducted at five sites as part of the county’s conservation efforts. The celebrations also featured a friendly football match between Karatina University and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

Dr Ruto was accompanied in Trans Nzoia by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, principal secretaries, Members of Parliament and other senior government officials.

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