Wajir residents have been urged to plant trees to enable the county to win the war against the effects of climate change.
Wajir Deputy Governor Ahmed Mukhtar said the global impact of climate change necessitates action for transformation which includes afforestation. “In order to encourage and support tree planting and other conservation activities, the county government has budgeted Sh70 million in the current financial year to meet this need,” he said.
Mukhtar spoke during a tree planting exercise at the Wajir Kenya Defence Forces Camp.
Conservation funds will also be sourced from non-governmental stakeholders such as the Department for International Development (DFID), Sweden and Arid Lands Development Focus (ALDEF).
Brigadier James Gitiba said the KDF in 2003 started a programme to support government efforts to mitigate environmental degradation through tree planting.
County Conservator Ambia Mohamed said the Forestry department has an ambitious programme to ensure trees are planted in learning and other established institutions.
“We propose the formation of environmental committees in each of the six subcounties and establishment of tree nurseries up to the sublocation level so that tree seedlings can be availed in every village to regenerate degraded areas and establish new forests,” Ambia said.
The conservator said they want learners and employees to adopt and nurture trees in institutions.
County secretary Abdullahi Maalim called for massive tree-planting drive in all six subcounties, saying a united effort would turn Wajir green.
In May last year, Governor Mohamed Abdi said his county needed to urgently find a solution to water supply and sanitation problems.
He said they were developing a Wajir County Water Policy and Legislation to guide the activities of the water sector.
