A past tree-planting session geared toward restoring the country’s forest cover/FILEThe Kenya Forest Service has received a donation of more than three million tree seedlings in a significant boost to the government’s national tre-growingg and restoration programme under the Jaza Miti Initiative.
The seedlings were donated by Earthbanc and comprise indigenous and climate-resilient tree species aimed at supporting ecosystem restoration and climate action efforts across the country.
The donation is expected to accelerate Kenya’s target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, restoring approximately 5.1 million hectares of degraded landscapes and increasing the country’s tree cover to 30 per cent.
According to the Kenya Forest Service, the seedlings have already been distributed to several counties, including Uasin Gishu County, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Nandi County, Trans Nzoia County, Kericho County, Baringo County, Kiambu County and Makueni County for planting.
KFS said it will coordinate the planting exercise in collaboration with county governments, local communities and other stakeholders to ensure long-term ecosystem restoration and sustainability.
Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko said the partnership highlights the critical role private sector players can play in helping Kenya achieve its environmental and climate targets.
“The National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign is a Presidential directive, and the Kenya Forest Service is committed to its full implementation,” Lemarkoko said.
“Our mandate is to reduce greenhouse emissions, stop and reverse deforestation, and restore Kenya's degraded landscapes to achieve 30 per cent tree cover by 2032.”
He noted that contributions from partners such as Earthbanc demonstrate what can be achieved when businesses align their investments with national environmental priorities.
“The contribution of partners such as Earthbanc, who have donated over 3 million seedlings to us, is a demonstration of what is possible when the private sector aligns with national priorities,” he said.
Earthbanc began operations in Kenya in 2024 through its local subsidiary, Earthtree Company Limited, and has since expanded its support for agroforestry and land restoration programmes.
The company says it has so far supported the production of approximately six million seedlings, trained hundreds of farmers in agroforestry and sustainable land management practices, and donated beehives to communities to improve pollination and create alternative rural incomes.
Of the six million seedlings produced, more than half have now been donated to KFS for the national restoration campaign.
Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko/HANDOUTEarthbanc Co-Chief Executive Officer Rishabh Khanna said the initiative reflects the company’s long-term commitment to climate restoration and community-led conservation efforts.
“Kenya's climate restoration ambition is one of Africa's boldest, and we are honoured to play our part,” Khanna said.
“We have raised six million seedlings, and each one represents a step towards restored land, a cleaner environment, and a more secure livelihood for the farming communities who tend them.”
He said the company’s focus goes beyond tree planting and includes empowering communities with the skills and resources needed to sustain restoration efforts over the long term.
“What we care about most is sharing and preserving the knowledge and tools with communities to keep those trees alive for generations. That is the restoration economy, where communities earn from the land they restore, and that is what we are building together with the people of Kenya,” he said.
