The East Africa Infrastructure Platform (EAIP) and several other organizations have joined forces to plant 600,000 trees in Cheptais Forest in Bungoma County, Kenya. The initiative, known as the “Cheptais Forest Reforestation Project,” aims to increase Kenya’s forest cover to 30% by 2032. The project is part of global efforts to mitigate climate change and follows President William Ruto’s plan to plant 15 billion trees. Currently, Kenya’s forest cover stands at 7.4% of the country’s total land area.
EAIP, along with partners such as the Cheptais Community Forest Association (CCFA) and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), has already planted over 60,000 seedlings since 2021 as part of the project. The Ministry of Energy, KenGen Foundation, and the Danish Embassy also support the initiative. The project has so far cost over Sh12 million ($110,000) and is part of the Climate Action plan adopted during the 2015 Conference of the Parties (COP) in France.
The campaign aims to address the energy transition by promoting renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. Beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions, trees play a critical role in climate change adaptation by absorbing carbon dioxide, mitigating floods, and providing food.
The CEO of EAIP, George Njenga, stated that they are now in the second phase of the project, which involves planting 5,500 trees over five hectares. Njenga emphasized the importance of the project due to the socio-economic value of Cheptais Forest, which is one of the five water towers in Kenya. The forest serves as a catchment area for major water bodies and contributes to hydropower generation.
A key aspect of the project is community involvement, with local residents growing and providing seedlings, participating in fencing efforts, and engaging in activities such as beekeeping that do not harm the trees. Njenga also mentioned the possibility of converting carbon into gas and using carbon markets to accelerate reforestation efforts.
Despite challenges, such as a lack of rainfall that temporarily halted tree planting in 2021, the project has had a positive impact. It has created jobs, restored biodiversity, protected critical water catchment habitats, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. EAIP and its partners hope to inspire similar initiatives and encourage other organizations to join the reforestation efforts.
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