World Scout Jamboree disaster blamed on South Korean government    Hajj Ministry warns against fake companies    Saudi Arabia starting direct flights between Dammam and Najaf    Egyptian delegation arrives in Israel to revive deadlocked ceasefire and hostage talks    Minister of Defense celebrates graduation of King Abdulaziz military college cadets    TGA introduces uniform for bus drivers    Ministry uncovers misuse of mosque utilities during inspection    Health Ministry reports 15 food poisoning cases linked to one establishment in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia supports UNRWA's efforts for Palestinian refugees, urges donor commitment    Supreme Court appears ready to reject Trump's immunity claims    Indian voters battle extreme temperatures as intense heat wave hits region    'Zarqa Al Yamama': Riyadh premieres first Saudi opera    Riyadh Season announces first overseas event with boxing gala in Los Angeles    Al-Ahsa Airport to double capacity to accommodate 100 million passengers a year    Al Hilal's comeback effort falls short in AFC Champions League semi-finals    Belgian man whose body produces alcohol in rare condition acquitted of drunk driving    Australian police launch manhunt for Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger    Spice Girls reunite at Posh's 50th birthday    Swedish rider Eckermann wins 2024 Show Jumping World Cup in Riyadh    Aspiring fencer Josh Brayden aims for Olympic glory    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Kenyans get tree-planting holiday to plant 100 million seedlings
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 13 - 11 - 2023

Kenyans have been given a special holiday to plant 100 million trees as part of the government's goal to plant 15 billion trees in 10 years.
The holiday allows "each and every Kenyan to own the initiative", according to Environment Minister Soipan Tuya.
Each Kenyan is being encouraged to plant at least two seedlings, leading to the 100-million target.
The initiative is intended to help fight climate change.
Trees help tackle global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.
The government is making available about 150 million seedlings in public nurseries.
It is providing the seedlings for free at its forest agency centres for Kenyans to plant in designated public areas.
But it has also encouraged Kenyans to buy at least two seedlings to plant on their own land.
President William Ruto is leading the exercise in Makueni in the east of the country. Cabinet ministers have been sent to other regions to lead the process alongside county governors.
The tree planting will be monitored through an internet app, which monitors the exercise by allowing individuals and organisations to record activities, including the plant species, number and date planted.
The Jaza Miti app will also help people plant the appropriate seedlings by matching the site with the appropriate species, according to the environment ministry.
Ms Tuya told local Citizen TV on Sunday night that the response had been "amazing" and there had already been two million registrations on the app by Sunday.
She however said the planting would not happen in the north-eastern region, where there have been floods.
The country is currently grappling with heavy El Niño rains that have killed dozens of people, displaced thousands and damaged infrastructure -- with the northern region most affected.
Kenyans have broadly welcomed the tree-planting initiative while also noting some challenges.
Environmentalist Teresa Muthoni told the BBC that the initiative was a "very good idea", but that the exercise was not organised in a way that would ensure everyone was out there planting trees.
She said "many people have to continue with their work to put food on the table... it is coming at a time when our economy is not doing well so a lot of people are struggling financially".
She also noted that "a lot of the 150 million trees available" in public nurseries were exotic. "It is very important to plant the right trees in the right place," she said.
The government has also been criticised for championing tree planting while failing to tame illegal logging in public forests -- it recently lifted a ban on logging.
But on Sunday, the minister defended the decision, saying only forests designed for commercial purposes were affected -- about 5% of the total.
She said this was necessary to feed the local wood demand and create jobs, adding that the government was taking action against illegal loggers in other forests.
She said the initiative would help tackle food security and was also a "mitigation against climate change" to address the cyclical drought and floods in the country.
Ms Tuya said the exercise will continue beyond the special holiday and expects that 500 million trees will have been planted by the end of the rainy season in December. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.