Major stakeholders in environmental conservation have expressed commitment to attaining targets set on afforestation in Kisii County and country.
The stakeholders who included senior forestry department officers, national administrators, and county government executive were addressing residents of Kiamokama ward in Masaba south Kisii county.
Representing Environment cabinet secretary, Josephat Ingaja, who is the Assistant Chief Forest Conservator in Kisii region, said the attainment of 10 % forest cover countrywide by 2030 has been reviewed.
He said that: “Stakeholders have been urged to meet the target by 2022, a move that will require substantial resources.”
Ingaja disclosed Bamboo forests were being established in counties to put in place environmental friendly tree species like in Tharaka Nithi.
Kisii county commissioner, Godfrey Kigochi observed, the residents had a duty to promote tree planting for enhanced rain claiming the source of the Nile was from the area’s hills.
“Conservation of the tree cover will benefit the country and those where the giant river traversed including Egypt,” he observed.
The commissioner told the residents to support the government’s efforts to replace Eucalyptus from the river lines since they were heavy water consumers.
Nyaribari Masaba legislator, Ezekiel Machogu decried the low forest cover in the area whose rate he placed at 2.6% against the country’s 7%.
According to Machogu, “the cutting of trees in the area has occasioned climate change impacting negatively on rainfall and food production.”
Since they had created the mess, said the MP, they were also tasked to correct it.
Kisii county deputy governor, Joash Maangi, explained the executive had signed a transitional pact with the national government on forest cover and was implementing it.
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