The national government has intensified efforts to equip Kenyans with climate-smart farming skills as part of a broader campaign to strengthen resilience against climate change and safeguard agricultural productivity.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah Mulongo said the initiative aims to prepare farmers for the anticipated El Niño rains while promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development.
“There is need to really strengthen climate-smart agriculture because of what has happened in matters of climate change,” CS Mulongo said during a government outreach programme in Trans Nzoia County.
She urged residents to take advantage of the coming rainy season by planting more trees, noting that Kenya had made significant progress in its national tree-growing campaign.
“We’ve been able to plant 1.9 billion trees. The previous administration planted 500 million trees in 10 years, while we have achieved 1.9 billion in a short time,” she said.
She added: “When you look at mangroves alone, we’ve planted 90 million compared to four million previously.”
Mulongo said satellite imagery and other technologies show that Kenya is becoming greener, positioning the country among global leaders in ecosystem restoration and climate action.
“We need to strengthen and capacitate our farmers to understand more on climate action, climate mitigation and adaptation,” she said.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced the distribution of computers to schools to accelerate digital learning and improve learners’ competitiveness in the modern economy.
Mulongo said the government was also supporting persons with disabilities through the provision of assistive devices, including wheelchairs, while expanding access to eye care services.
She further highlighted ongoing empowerment programmes targeting women, youth and widows through the distribution of water storage tanks, cooperative development and livelihood support initiatives.
“The most important thing is that we must see the President’s agenda touching each and every life—from roads, markets and affordable housing to job creation. Trans Nzoia is not being left behind,” CS Mulongo said.
A Commissioner at Kenya’s Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Leonid Ashindu, said the outreach programme had brought together various government agencies to deliver services directly to residents while creating awareness about government programmes and opportunities.
“What we are here for is just to make sure that we have services to the grassroots, that people know what the government is doing. We are partnering with all government agencies,” Ashindu said.
The commissioner added that the programme, organised in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, focused on environmental conservation through training, capacity building and showcasing opportunities available under government initiatives.
