President William Ruto has unveiled an ambitious plan to establish 17 mega nurseries capable of producing two billion seedlings annually, as part of Kenya’s wider initiative to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
Speaking during Mazingira Day celebrations at State House, Nairobi, President Ruto said the project will be supported by 15,000 National Youth Service (NYS) personnel working in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) across all 300 existing nurseries.
The initiative, he said, aims to combat the adverse effects of climate change through large-scale reforestation and forest restoration.
“Climate change is a global challenge that requires practical solutions. Growing forests at scale is one of the most effective interventions,” the President said.
Ruto also emphasized the direct link between environmental conservation and food security. He noted that healthy forest ecosystems are essential for maintaining reliable water sources used in irrigation and agriculture.
“The seedlings will include fruit trees, which will not only improve food security but also open up opportunities for export, agro-processing, and job creation,” he shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“This effort will also safeguard water catchments and mitigate climate change impacts.”
As part of the national tree-planting drive, the President announced that all 35,000 primary schools across the country will each plant a minimum of 2,000 fruit tree seedlings on Mazingira Day a collective effort expected to yield over 100 million seedlings.
To encourage community engagement, all government officials have been instructed to return to their former primary schools and lead the tree-planting efforts, reinforcing the initiative’s “whole-of-society” approach.
Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemakoko backed the President’s call, stating that tree planting would continue throughout the ongoing short rains season to maximize survival rates and nationwide participation.
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