Kenya's chiefs plant 114 million trees, mobilise 2 million people in climate drive

Chiefs from Bungoma county during a meeting with National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula.[FILE/Standard] Chiefs across Kenya have mobilised more than two million people, planted over 114 million trees, and achieved a 60 percent seedling survival rate - all without external funding. The results, under the National Climate Change Security Resilience Programme (NCCSRP), show how locally led climate action can deliver concrete outcomes at scale while transforming communities. More than 4,000 Chiefs are using their convening power to coordinate tree planting, restore degraded land, and strengthen resilience. Every first Friday of the month, they lead "Climate Action Days," turning villages into hubs of environmental activity. "Financing climate-security solutions at the community level yields triple dividends: peace, resilience, and green growth," said Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo at the Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa. He explained that the programme integrates climate adaptation with national security, using grassroots leadership as a force multiplier. Since its inception less than a year ago, it has delivered more than 6.4 million seedlings with a 60 percent survival rate, directly supporting Kenya's 15-Billion Tree Growing Campaign (2022-2032). Communities report tangible benefits: soil erosion has slowed, water retention in farmlands has improved, and grazing areas are becoming greener. Chiefs are also mediators, identifying disputes linked to resource scarcity and using climate intelligence to prevent escalation. "Chiefs are uniquely positioned to maintain peace while driving environmental restoration," Omollo said. "Their role goes beyond leadership; they are a bridge between government priorities and community needs." Regional Interest and Local Impact The programme has attracted regional interest. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is training officers in Kenya on a Climate, Peace, and Security Curriculum. Mobile-based decision support tools allow Chiefs to report in real time, improving responses to droughts, floods, and conflicts over grazing lands. In Garissa County, Chief Amina Yusuf described how her community rehabilitated 200 hectares of degraded rangeland: "We saw bare land turn green in months. Families now have water for livestock and food for the children." Across counties, farmers are reporting improved yields, women's groups are planting fruit trees, and youth are being trained in nursery management and tree maintenance. Women's cooperatives in Kitui County are expanding nurseries into income-generating ventures, while youth groups in Laikipia are using mobile tools to flag early signs of drought or bushfires. Experts say the model is unconventional but effective. "Climate change is now a threat multiplier. It worsens scarcity and can spark conflict," said Dr. Samuel Mwangi, a Nairobi-based climate analyst. "Kenya's approach shows that integrating governance, peace, and climate adaptation at the grassroots produces measurable impact." Converting Vulnerability Into Resilience Data from the programme show high engagement: more than two million community members have participated in restoration activities. Chiefs coordinate logistics, mobilise resources, and track survival rates, demonstrating that local ownership can surpass externally funded initiatives in efficiency and sustainability. Dr. Omollo emphasised that the battle against climate change will be won at the grassroots. "It will not be won in boardrooms," he said. "It will be won in villages, farms, rangelands, and forests, where ordinary citizens, guided by leadership, transform resilience into reality." The NCCSRP, he added, proves that measurable climate security is possible when solutions are locally led, data-driven, and integrated with governance.

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