KENAFF and SlovakAid Host National Tree Planting Event in Baringo County

Eldama Ravine, Baringo County – On Friday, April 14, 2023, the Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF), in collaboration with SlovakAid, hosted the KENAFF national tree planting event at Koibatek Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) in Eldama Ravine Sub County, Baringo County.

The event, themed “Growing Together,” was part of the KENAFF Farm Forestry and Afforestation Programme, 2021 – 2030, which aims to support the government of  Kenya’s regreening Kenya initiative and the government’s ambition of achieving a minimum 30 percent forest cover nationally by 2032. The program encourages farmers to set aside at least 15% of their agricultural landholdings for farm forestry, agrobiodiversity conservation, reforestation, and rehabilitation of degraded areas. The program also intends to reduce the worldwide impact of climate change over the next ten (10) years by building farmer capacity in soil and water conservation and supporting the establishment of sustainable tree value chains for economic, environmental, and food and nutrition security.

Mr. Richard Bundotich, Baringo County Director of Livestock Production, spoke at the occasion and emphasized the importance of tree planting in reducing climate change and conserving the environment. He commended KENAFF for their work in developing sustainable tree value chains, soil and water conservation, and capacity building for women and youth-headed families in Baringo County through the Planting Climate Resilience Project (PCRP) 2020-2023.

The PCRP aims to build the capacity of 216 farmers in Baringo County to implement farm forestry through the forest garden approach. The project provides training, tree seedlings, and mentoring, with the goal of improving household-level food and nutrition security, increasing agricultural and livestock production, and improving household incomes. The trained cohorts are expected to act as mentors to an additional 648 farmers, spreading knowledge on farm forestry as a pathway to building resilience to climate change.