KBL in Sh1 million Mt Kenya reforestation initiative

In support of a tree-planting and environmental conservation initiative dubbed the Mt Kenya Summit Challenge KBL, through their beer brand White Cap Lager, has pledged Sh1 million towards the conservation drive.

The drive will see renowned Kenyan mountaineer Patrick Kuria attempt to summit Kenya’s highest peak (Batian) in just under 12 hours to raise awareness and support for the reforestation agenda under number 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

All proceeds from this activity will be channelled towards planting more than 50,000 trees across the Mount Kenya ecosystem, which plays a critical role in water catchment for the country and is one of the five main “water towers” of Kenya, alongside the Aberdare Range, Mau Complex, Cherangany Hills and Mt Elgon.

Speaking at the sponsorship announcement, Acting EABL, Head of Marketing, Beers Jean Okech-Nyawara, expressed her satisfaction around the unique initiative to raise awareness on the reforestation agenda.

 “The role that afforestation plays in the improvement of damaged ecosystems such as the one around Mount Kenya cannot be understated.

"We embark on this partnership with the intention of restoring, mitigating land degradation and desertification, and by extension, eradicating poverty through empowering the people that live and acquire a livelihood in these areas," Nyawara said.

White Cap Lager is a brand that has a special connection with the snow-capped peaks of Mt Kenya.

Our aim is, therefore, to support this ecosystem environmental conservations and empower these communities towards a sustainable future.”

This activity ties into the continued push for sensitisation of the Mt Kenya communities on the afforestation agenda.

The area has seen increased deforestation and land degradation in the recent past which has led to a negative impact on climate change within this ecosystem.

Speaking on his imminent climb up Mt. Kenya, Patrick Kuria voiced his gratitude to corporates like Kenya Breweries and their role in supporting the environmental conservation agenda:

“I’m excited to summit Mt. Kenya for an initiative as noble as to create awareness on environmental conservation. The 12-hour challenge is one we came up with deliberately, to achieve the goal of having a tree donated for every minute we are on the Mountain,” he said.

“We appreciate the role that corporations like KBL have played in driving this agenda forward and I hope we all play our part to realise the audacious target of 10 per cent of forest cover by 2030.”

The tree-planting initiative comes in wake of the KBL’s recent launch of their inaugural sustainability report that is an overview of the processes and mechanisms that the brewer has instituted to support communities and sustainable businesses.

The report also highlighted the company’s climate change agenda where they have actively championed the use of 82 per cent renewable energy across their sites in Kenya and in the wider East African region.

KBL is also currently providing capacity-building training to over 60,000 farmers through agricultural skills and resources for sustainable farming.

Edited by D Tarus