Taita Taveta county has launched a tree-planting challenge to combat the devastating effects of climate change.
The devolved unit targets to grow at least 360 million trees by 2032.
Water executive Granton Mwandawiro said on Wednesday the campaign targets to encourage each resident to plant a minimum of 100 trees annually for the next decade.
The campaign, the executive said, will significantly increase the county’s forest and tree cover.
He said more afforestation efforts should be put in place to reverse the ravaging effects of climate change by restoring the county’s forest and tree cover.
"This is a campaign involving all residents. The challenge will see more than 360 million trees planted, thus boosting our forest cover," Mwandawiro said.
The county targets to grow the forest cover from the current 3.4 per cent to 10 per cent by 2032. Further, it projects to increase tree cover to 30 per cent from the current eight per cent.
"The campaign will see more than 360,000 hectares (889,579 acres) restored through extensive tree-growing exercises," he added, pointing out that the campaign will reduce water scarcity in the region.
He said the campaign is in line with President William Ruto’s plan of planting 15 billion trees nationwide in the next 10 years.
The executive urged residents to actively take part in the campaign by planting trees in their homesteads and farms during the upcoming October-December rains.
The campaign comes as a boost even as the county waits for the commencement of the urban forestry development pilot project.
The county is among the regions earmarked for the tree growing pilot project that is set to propagate two billion seedlings from at least 20,000 schools across the country.
The pilot project targets more than 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) for commercial forest promotion in the county.
