Leave boda boda business and plant trees, youths told

Young people in Murang’a have been urged to group and establish tree nurseries to help increase the country’s forest cover to 10 per cent.

Environment Chief Administrative Secretary Mohamed Elmi on Friday said the drive to plant more trees has created a huge demand that can benefit youths financially.

Elmi said the Ministry of Environment is particularly encouraging fruit trees as they provide food and money to farmers.

He urged youths to consult Kenya Forest Service or Kenya Forestry Research Institute for advice on which trees to plant.

“Youth and women’s groups stand to make a lot of money if they invest in nurseries because we will continue to plant trees until we attain the 10 per cent forest cover,” he said.

The CAS said this in Makuyu on Friday during the issuance of more than 16,000 indigenous and fruit tree seedlings to farmers by the World Wife Fund-Kenya in partnership with Ahadi Kenya Trust.

WWF-Kenya business development and communications director Joyce Isiaho reiterated the CAS’s sentiments, saying the seedlings issued were acquired from local nurseries.

She said fruit trees have a higher rate of survival due to their potential to produce fruits.

“Farmers tend to fruit trees more because they know they will benefit from them when they mature. Many tree seedlings wither and die before reaching maturity due to lack of care.”

Isiaho said the seedlings are being issued through the ‘Keep Kenya Breathing’ programme, which aims at increasing the country’s forest cover.

She said her organisation is keen on partnering with other organisations and farmers to increase forest cover.

“Our emphasis is on fruits trees because they will keep the country green while empowering a farmer,” she said, adding that her organisation will release more funds to provide more seedlings to the area.

Makuyu is one of the semi-arid parts of Murang’a.

Ahadi Kenya Trust director Stanley Kamau urged locals to nurture trees seedlings to maturity.

Kamau said many of the trees seedlings planted during planting exercises by many organisations end up withering due to lack of proper care.

“The biggest challenge we have is that we are very busy planting and not growing trees. We need to put more emphasis on nurturing the seedlings and stop planting trees for the sake of it,” he said.

Kamau reiterated the need for people to know what kind of trees to plant in their farms saying there are numerous cases in chiefs’ camps over boundary wrangles caused by trees that occupy neigbours’ farm spaces.

He appealed to youths to consider investing away from the boda boda sector that is now saturated in order to make more money and secure their future.

“Nowadays, every youth is investing in a boda boda, but they would make more money in other sectors such as tree nurseries that are less crowded,” he said.

Kamau also provided assorted foodstuffs to hundreds of residents to attended the event.