Equity Group has partnered with Kipipiri Sub-County to support farmers and institutions in planting 60,000 tree seedlings in Nyandarua County. This tree planting exercise is part of Equity’s 35 million trees tree-planting initiative, and in support of government’s goal of increasing the country’s forest cover to 10% by 2022.
The project will also empower farmers who will be tasked with raising high-quality tree seedlings in nurseries as an income generating activity.
Speaking during the tree planting, Equity Bank Kenya Managing Director Gerald Warui said, “Today we are donating 60,000 tree seedlings to farmers and various institutions in Kipipiri region as part of Equity’s 35 million tree planting initiative. This is in a bid to increase the country’s contribution to addressing climate change. It is also an opportunity to engage farmers in environmental conservation as well as provide an opportunity to earn income through tree planting and maintenance activities.”
Hon. Amos Kimunya EGH, MP, Leader of Majority in the National Assembly thanked Equity, saying the event was a significant one for the region whose main economic activity is farming. “We recognize and appreciate the effort made by Equity to partner with key stakeholders towards the attainment of 10% tree cover by 2022. Partnerships like this where communities will see us achieving this target much faster,” he added.
Tree planting has been established to be a fundamental exercise for the survival of forest-dwellers, and is an important provider of ecosystem services, including maintaining, restoring soil fertility, protecting watersheds and water courses.
Through its partnership with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and accredited seedling vendors in this noble initiative, the Bank has been able to receive technical and supervisory support. This support has been aimed at ensuring that the target is achieved and destruction of forests is reduced through proper planting and maintenance of the trees.