Adopt a Tree: Kiambu Young Learners Initiatives 2023-2026

Trees loss in Kenya, has contributed to worsened drought status in recent years where indirectly, more than 2.5 million livestock have been lost, and over 4 million people adversely impacted due to loss of biodiversity as a result of tree felling, soil erosion, and reduced amounts of rainfall. This translates to a socio-economic loss of between 3%-5% of GDP.

In recognizing these immense benefits from trees, the newly inaugurated Kenya Kwanza government launched an ambitious program to rehabilitate and restore 10.6 million hectares of forests in the 290 constituencies in Kenya. Kenya’s cabinet also approved the national tree-growing restoration campaign aimed at planting 15 billion trees so as to scale up forest cover to 30 percent by 2030. The initiative also robes in learning institutions to support the initiative, where the government targets at least 40 public primary schools per county (1,880 schools countrywide) to engage in growing of trees. The project is expected to enhance the current initiatives.

The project “Adopt a Tree: Kiambu Young Learners Initiatives 2023-2026” adopts a multifaceted approach in enhancing climate literacy through training of grade 4 learners on climate change using manuals tailored for their levels, empowering young people (grade 4 learners will be able to plant each a tree and  take charge of their tree for 3 years with a possible extension if junior secondary education will still be hosted at the same primary schools), gender equity and social inclusion (by ensuring that all grade 4 learners (comprising of boys and girls) all participate, and finally, supporting a just and appropriate ecosystem approaches (borrowed from local knowledge and research context databases)

The project is expected to contribute to government initiatives by increasing tree cover, by planting at least 147,000 trees across the county within three years with an average of 49,000 trees annually. This in addition to instilling a sense of responsibility among the young learners in environmental conservation, and knowledge of different tree species and benefits.

The project may also influence career choices among the learners when they join junior secondary towards environmental and climate-resilient actions based programmes of study. The fruit trees are expected to be a great source of food and medicine to learners and communities within the schools where the trees are grown. This is in addition to providing shelter to fauna and flora.

The project will adopt the critical path method approach. This approach will ensure that all critical tasks are identified and scheduled as well as their dependencies. With the help of a gant chart, essential tasks will be agreed among the project team and stakeholders.

The project team leaders will hold stakeholder training meetings as per the 12 sub-counties, An estimated 49000 grade 4 learners will be selected and sensitized per year for the 3 years to participate in the project with a Q&A session.

This will then be followed with the tree planting exercises across the 1,225 primary schools in phases. Continuous monitoring will be carried out through mobile applications and google forms.

Every end of term, the head teachers will organize meeting with the learners where presentations are made on their progresses, and management of their trees.

This will constitute quadrimesterly reporting.

over 10,000 students and community on campus

Scalability of the idea. We can only manage to offer it within our university land, but we can also roll-it out to communities within the county where we are based, thus contributing to knowledge transfer especially among young learners

The government's policy is to increase tree cover by 30% by 2023.

Our approach is to grow indigenous trees and fruits that are tailored for the different environmental conditions (local context) within the county through the technical support from Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI). This is also complemented by the involvement of Kiambu County Government. We envisage a high buy-in from our project intervention, which in not only targets to plant 147,000 trees, but will also train the grade 4 learners to be environmentally responsible and enhance their understanding of the benefits of different types of indigenous and fruit trees for posterity.

Mount Kenya University has an annual research vote for community engagements, while KEFRI will continuously provide backstopping technical support, transport and seedlings. Kiambu county government, has an allocation for environmental conservation in which the project team will consider as a potential source of financial and non-financial support to upscale the project. Further, the government has a budget kitty that supports the 2022-2032 tree planting exercise and the project team will also seek support to further the cause of the project beyond the 3-year period. Further, the project team organizations are currently involved in other synergetic progrrammes, with an ongoing desire to have memorandum of agreement. Through, these actions, the project team will seek support from respective organizations in addition to more grant application to further and strengthen the project in other counties in Kenya.

Primary school grade 4 learners will be introduced to “adopt” a tree, during their 3 year primary studies 2023-2026.

• To plan at least 147,000 indigenous and fruit trees by 2026
• To promote awareness and knowledge of different indigenous and fruit trees species
• To enhance greater responsibility and action to environmental conservation beyond primary school education
• To promote inclusive participation of both boys and girls in environmental conservation

1. Planting 147,000 indigenous/fruit trees by 2026
2. By 2026, ensure equal participation of boys and girls in tree planting and training

There is a direct effect on the increase on the number of indigenous and fruit trees (whose value include; source of food, medicine, and home to fauna)

There is indirect effect on influencing careers in their adult life and environment conservation at an early stage, thus becoming influencers and change agents.

We intend to use mobile-based application for monthly monitoring of the trees from parents/guardians and from head teachers for trees planted in school.

The project underscores the role of women in society activities. With this in mind, the project team is led on 50:50 ratio on gender composition. The project team leaders hold special area of expertise that are directly related to the project. The target participants in the tree planting will be all the grade 4 learners (all genders included). Since the MCAs and head teachers are dependent on the electorate and the Teachers Service Commission decision, the project will have no control over their gender selection. However, gender parity will be observed when allocating roles and tasks throughout the project lifetime.