Environment Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa has called on Kenyans to mark this year’s Mazingira Day 2025 by planting fruit trees in their former primary schools, as part of efforts to boost child nutrition, enhance food security, and promote environmental conservation.
Speaking during a media breakfast in Nairobi on Wednesday, Barasa unveiled the Ministry’s ambitious plan to grow over 100 million fruit trees in schools across the country during the short rains season.
She said the initiative, themed “Citizen Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship,” aims to transform schools into green, food-secure spaces while fostering a culture of environmental responsibility among young learners.
“Mazingira Day is not just about planting trees, it’s about caring for our environment, restoring our ecosystems, and ensuring our children have a healthier, greener future,” the CS said.
“By planting fruit trees, we are giving back to the schools that shaped us and creating a sustainable source of nutrition for generations to come,”she added.
Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi announced that this year’s celebration will be an “All-Government, All-Society” event, with Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and senior officials leading tree-growing activities in their former primary schools.
“This symbolizes a national homecoming to nurture the next generation and reinforce our shared duty to the planet,” he said.
According to the Ministry, the initiative targets all 35,000 primary schools nationwide, with each expected to plant at least 2,000 seedlings during the current short rains season.
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Chief Conservator Alex Lemarkoko reaffirmed the Service’s support, noting that KFS has already produced over 100 million seedlings, with 25 million ready for planting.
He emphasized the importance of post-planting care to ensure high survival rates.
“Let us not just plant, let us grow trees,” Lemarkoko said.
“We encourage Kenyans to support local community groups producing seedlings and donate them to their former schools for planting,” he added.
This year’s slogan, “Turudi Primo, Tukapande Miti” (Let’s return to our primary schools and plant trees), encapsulates the spirit of the campaign, a call for citizens to reconnect with their roots and take active responsibility for Kenya’s greener, healthier future.