The aim of the foundation is empowering local communities to come together to protect plants and care for trees and to enhance productivity and forestry.
Prof Roger Leakey explained the major challenges to sustaining the forest include deforestation, poverty, land degradation and Climate change. The Solutions revolves around land rehabilitation and enhancing livelihoods. This will reverse the Cycle, said Prof. Roger Leakey, whose family history, from grandfather to his father heavily involved with reforestation. Kenya is a centre for global excellence and capacity building is necessary for Kenya transformation of agroforestry
The Founder of mount Kenya Environmental conservation Mr Paulino Mugendi, who travelled from Kenya for the auspicious event explained that project will improve Water catchment and Afforestation while creating jobs and working with schools too. He is mandated by ITF to facilitate 5 Million trees in the first phase of the project. He will work with schools and local organizations to manage that task.
In his speach the High Commissioner mentioned in the the recent years Kenya has had rapid population growth and unsustainable degradation. Kenya is faced with challenged of development needs and sustainability. He referenced the outstanding work of prof Wangari Mathai of putting Kenya in a global map of a country reversing climate change. The government has legal policy to protect forests and a plan of at least 10% tree cover in Kenya is in place. Vision 2030 targets planting 7 billions trees for food security water and environmental conservation and reducing carbon emissions. Hence, 20 million trees for Kenya forest will make the contribution to what Kenya has planned.