DP Kindiki calls for restoration of degraded rangelands, commits to 15 billion tree drive

Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has called for enhanced global action to restore degraded rangelands and strengthen ecosystem resilience, saying the future of livelihoods, food security and environmental stability depends on how well the world protects its natural resources.

He said Kenya is fully committed to restoring ecosystems through large-scale interventions, including the planting of 15 billion trees by 2032, as part of efforts to combat land degradation, drought and desertification.

"We must recognize the numbers, we must recognize the magnitude of the challenge before us, and we must recognize the duty the present generation owes, not to ourselves, but to future generations," he said.

DP Kindiki spoke on Wednesday during the Global Observance of Desertification and Drought Day held in Vipingo, Kilifi County, under the theme ‘Rangelands, Recognize, Respect, Restore’.

The DP noted that rangelands and other fragile ecosystems must be protected because their degradation directly affects food production, water availability and community livelihoods.

He also warned that land degradation leads to reduced productivity with severe social and economic consequences.

"When land loses its productivity, farmers lose harvests, people lose income, pastoralists lose livestock, communities lose water sources and young people lose opportunities. The consequences are poverty, conflict and displacement,” he said.

The DP stressed that wetlands, forests and rangelands are not wastelands but productive ecosystems that sustain millions of livelihoods across the world.

"We must recognize that wetlands are not wastelands, wetlands are ecosystems of activity," he said.

He underscored the need for intergenerational responsibility in environmental protection, noting that natural resources must be preserved and passed on in a better condition than they are found.

"We have not inherited this land from our ancestors; we have only borrowed it from our children," he said.

Prof. Kindiki added that addressing land degradation requires clear action, timelines and accountability mechanisms to ensure progress is measurable.

"We know what we need to do. We know the action we need to take. What we must do now is provide timelines and establish a way of checking ourselves to make sure that we are on track," he said.

The DP highlighted Kenya's partnership with global environmental institutions, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), noting that international cooperation remains critical in addressing land degradation.

He commended development partners and environmental leaders for their continued support in advancing climate action and ecosystem restoration initiatives.

The DP further announced that the government's 15 billion tree programme will prioritize locally relevant species, including mangroves, coconut trees, mango trees and cashew nut trees, particularly in coastal regions such as Kilifi.

"These trees do not only help conserve the environment; they also create wealth and put money in the pockets of the people of Kilifi and the entire coastal region," he said.

He directed that mangrove restoration efforts be scaled up in Kilifi as part of broader coastal ecosystem rehabilitation.

"We must commit to increasing the number of mangroves planted here in Kilifi every month," he said.

The Deputy President assured that the government will continue working with local communities to integrate indigenous knowledge into environmental conservation programmes, ensuring that restoration efforts are both sustainable and economically beneficial.

"We must respect communities and their knowledge. We must also protect them, and we must support them," he said.

The event was attended by Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ngeno, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP, Dr. Ida Odinga, senior UNEP representatives, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders.