St. Agnes Ikonyero Comprehensive School became a hub of environmental action this week as Dr. Deborah Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, led a symbolic fruit tree planting exercise at the school. The event was in partnership with One Acre Fund’s Tupande initiative and saw over 300 fruit trees planted, as Kenya moves towards 15 billion trees by 2032.
CS Barasa Calls for National Effort to Combat Climate Change
In her speech, Dr. Barasa described the tree-planting initiative as a multi-generational commitment to climate action.
“This is not just a project; it’s a promise we are making to ourselves to combat climate change,” she said, urging the private sector, communities and individuals across the country to join in.
She highlighted Kakamega County’s progress, noting its 18.21% tree cover and a target of 20.86 million trees annually. So far the county has planted 21 million trees, an achievement Dr. Barasa called a clear demonstration of local commitment and sustainability.
One Acre Fund’s Tupande Initiative: A Game Changer in Tree Restoration
One Acre Fund through its Tupande program has become a key player in Kenya’s reforestation drive. According to Tupande director Michelle Kagari, the initiative has:
- Planted 97 million trees nationwide,
- Benefited 1.4 million smallholder farmers, and
- Reached 37,000 learning institutions.
Kagari plans to scale up to 150 million trees by end of year, and emphasized the role of farmers as environmental custodians since 80% of Kenyans are farmers.
“Agroforestry offers tangible benefits—soil health, diversified income and climate resilience,” Kagari said, citing tree species like grevillea which complement food crops and can be harvested as timber when sustainably done.
School-Based Environmental Initiatives in the Spotlight
During the event Stanley Lilumbi, Head Teacher St. Agnes Ikonyero School praised One Acre Fund for:
- Building sanitation facilities,
- Providing furniture, and* Supply of seedlings for greening.
This year they went a step further with the fruit tree orchard on school grounds. The school’s Environmental Club which was established 3 years ago has planted over 700 trees and has been inculcating environmental awareness in learners.
Lilumbi asked the charity to set up a tree nursery within the school so that students trained in seedling care can distribute trees in the community and scale up the environmental impact beyond the school.
Call to Action
As the long rains continue, CS Barasa urged every Kenyan—from students to corporate leaders—to plant at least 100 trees this season.
“Together we can grow 15 billion trees and build a future we can be proud of,” she said, thanking the Tupande team and the local community.
She also asked for stronger laws to counter illegal logging and overgrazing and invited the private sector to contribute resources and innovation to Kenya’s green transition.
