According to the regional conservator Anthony Musyoka eighteen million trees will be planted this season, as the country seeks to plant 32 billion trees by 2032.

Musyoka said that 4 million have already been planted in the conservancy.

The Conservancy comprises Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Transzoia, West Pokot and Turkana counties.

Speaking during a tree planting exercise at the Iten police station, the conservator said the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) offered technical advice to individuals and groups wishing to start tree nurseries to have enough seedlings for planting.

“So far we have enough seedlings in the various KFS offices and within the community but we need to upscale the production to meet the demand,” he said.

Further, he said they were carrying out an extensive campaign to reach out to individual farmers, institutions and all stakeholders to plant trees even as the government concentrates on planting trees in gazetted forests.

Noting that the planting of trees is a collaboration between the government and all stakeholders, Musyoka called on farmers to ensure that they set aside at least 30% of their farms for tree planting.

“Each individual has a responsibility to plant trees to mitigate against the effects of climate, land degradation and soil erosion,” he said.

Keiyo North deputy county commissioner Julius Maiyo called on residents to move from just planting trees to ensuring that they grow, saying most trees planted do not mature due to destruction through grazing.

He said each assistant chief in the county had been given a target of ensuring that 3,000 trees are planted in their areas of jurisdiction for the county to meet its target.