Ecopreneur Dr. Isaac Kalua Green has challenged the Kenya Kwanza government to be more serious with its plan to plant 15 billion trees across the country by 2032.
Speaking on Thursday, March 21 during a tree planting exercise to mark this year’s International Day of Forests, Green noted that it was unfortunate the country has not consistently heeded the calls for tree planting even after millions of shillings were used in hiring choppers for ministers to plant trees, yet such funds would have been used to maintain trees and also purchase more trees.
“We need to simply, do things that connect with the people. When we talk about trees we must take people through a journey that they can resonate with. We have complicated the subject of environmental conservation by the use of very heavy words, and activities that seem extremely expensive when we go to grow trees with helicopters. People detest that process and they imagine it is very complicated yet we can be very innovative,” remarked Green.
The ecopreneur noted that the president cannot follow up on his directives if the people tasked with implementing them are not keen on doing so.
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He also challenged leaders to set an example at their homes by planting trees before asking members of the public to do so.
“You cannot talk about tree planting, the tree growing, the importance of forestry, and yet in your own home there are no sufficient trees that can be seen and there are no beneficiaries of forestry around your home that can say I planted those trees and therefore I can be able to pay school fees,” the ecopreneur stated.
Consequently, through his Green Africa Foundation, Dr. Green called for the adoption of the ‘Plant Your Age’ campaign which would generally see more trees planted.
“When President Ruto started the process of planting 15 billion trees across the country, he planted 56 trees which was a celebration of the number of years he has lived he kept it easy. We should drive Kenyans to plant trees equivalent to their age. It is something measurable you plant trees equivalent to your wife’s age, and children's age and create a forest around your living,” Green added.
