The Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Meru Press Club (MPC) and the Meru Conservation Office have launched an ambitious environmental conservation where they will plant at least 500 fruit trees per primary school in Meru County.
Thereafter, pupils in the schools will be charged with the responsibility of nurturing the trees on a daily basis in a bid to instill an environmental conservation culture among them.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise at Meru Primary School, MCK Mount Kenya Region Coordinator Jackson Karanja said that after Meru Primary, they will head to St. Paul Academy and Meru Muslim Primary School before proceeding to other schools.
“We had a climate summit in Nairobi the other day and as a Council, we are partnering with these groups to plant at least 500 fruit trees in each school including avocados, oranges, and lemons, which will be ready in the next two years and will be consumed by the learners,” he said.
Karanja said that journalists have a responsibility to conserve the environment by planting trees, bearing in mind that it is also as a way of heeding to President Ruto’s directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
“As a Council we are taking part in environmental conservation considering that when we conserve our environment, it will not only help us but also the generations to come. We are also setting an example to other journalists and members of society to take care of their immediate environment,” said Karanja.
The school Headteacher Ms. Eva Gichuru assured the journalists that each student will be allocated a tree to take care of.
“Considering that we are in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) era, we want our children to grow with a sense of responsibility for conservation,” she said.
She added: “I urge other organizations to come up with such initiatives so that at least we can meet the said target.”
MPC Secretary Antony Miriti lauded the Council for engaging them in the noble activity that will play a key role in enabling a conducive environment for everyone to thrive in.
“We would like to remind the public not to plant trees that compromise water levels and instead encourage them to stick to indigenous trees,” Miriti said.
By John Majau
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