Forestry CS Soipan Tuya has urged the private sector to partner with the government in the 15 billion tree growing programme.
The CS said the sector has the financial and human resources required to make the initiative a success.
She spoke on Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium during a corporate relay organised by insurance firm, Zep-Re, to launch a 30,000 tree growing campaign to mark its 30th anniversary.
Tuya said her Ministry will partner with the insurance sector, led by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), to shepherd the sector's contribution to the initiative.
"As is evidenced, most of the targets in this 15 billion national tree growing programme is going to be private sector led," she said.
"You are all aware that the private sector are able to mobilise both human as well as financial resources to complement the work of government."
Tuya said they had adopted a whole-of-society approach in tree growing initiative, outlining the progress made towards achieving the project, which includes setting up of seed centres countrywide.
"We have completed the construction of 11 seed centres across the country and by end of June 2023, there will be 18 completed seed centres," the CS added.
She said the Ministry has further enhanced the capacity of Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), both in terms of personnel and equipment, to ensure that the number of seeds and seedlings needed to make the 15 billion tree campaign possible are available.
Tuya said the national target of growing 15 billion trees in 10 years is achievable.
She cited other countries in the region and across the world that have achieved similar or bigger targets including Ethiopia and Pakistan.
"Since we launched the 15 billion national tree growing restoration programme, we have met other governments and states that make our 15 billion trees in 10 years look like a drop in the ocean."
The CS said Ethiopia, through its green legacy initiative, has planted over 25 billion trees while Pakistan has grown 10 billion trees in the past four years.
Tuya said to achieve the Kenya Kwanza's vision, each Kenyan needed to plant 30 trees per year.
Besides setting up seed centres and recruiting institutions to drive the tree growing programme, Tuya said they had developed the 'Jazamiti' digital application to track the initiative's progress as well as generate 'green certificates' for participating individuals and institutions.
