Mombasa: As Kenya races against time to meet its ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, a quiet but powerful argument is taking root in the corridors of economic planning within the Forestry Department: the real revolution must begin at home. ‘It’s not just about planting trees,’ says Lawrence Mwiti Muthamia, an economic planning expert at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. ‘It’s about planting a culture.’
According to Kenya News Agency, standing at the center of a treeless playing field at Kiamweri Primary School, which is a few meters from his ancestral home in Meru County, Muthamia outlines what he calls a ‘ground-up strategy’ – a bold shift that urges the country to turn its gaze away from the overburdened public forests and focus instead on family land, community spaces, and the hearts of children.
The latest forest audit indicates that Kenya’s public forests, from the Mau Complex to Mt Kenya and Kakamega, are nearing their optimal tree density. Therefore, further planting in these spaces could strain existing biodiversity or upset ecological balances. ‘The forests already have enough trees,’ Muthamia explains. ‘If we’re serious about 15 billion trees, we must go beyond the forests.’
His proposition is that every household should be turned into a forest front, encouraging children to plant trees at school and motivating families to dedicate parts of their private land to fruit trees, indigenous species, or fast-growing timber trees. His approach emphasizes behavior change and early education. ‘When a child grows up nurturing a tree, they grow up respecting nature. That’s a long-term investment. We want to see tree planting as common as brushing teeth – a basic part of Kenyan childhood,’ says Mr Muthamia.
In partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Forestry Department is piloting a program that gives schoolchildren seedlings to plant and monitor throughout their education, a ‘one child, one tree’ vision expanded across a decade. Kenya’s 15 billion tree goal translates to an average of 300 trees per person. With a population of 50 million, Muthamia argues that if even 50 percent of Kenyans adopted tree growing in their homes and farms, the target would not only be achievable but also sustainable.
He says already, counties like Meru and Nyeri are showcasing successful models where farmers grow fruit trees alongside coffee and maize. These trees provide shade, stabilize soils, and double up as income sources. He further insists that ‘Agroforestry is not charity, but smart economics.’
Critics often point out that large-scale afforestation requires huge capital and government coordination, but Muthamia sharply disagrees. ‘Planting trees doesn’t need a budget but a mindset shift. This is about families taking ownership of the planet’s future, one seedling at a time,’ says Mr Muthamia.
As Kenya continues to battle climate change, droughts, and deforestation, the call to plant 15 billion trees is more than a number; it’s a national movement. But as Muthamia reminds us, that movement doesn’t start in parliaments or boardrooms. It starts in backyards, schoolyards, and in the hands of a child digging a hole with a tin can.
Apart from achieving the 2032 target, Muthamia envisages a future where the culture of tree planting can automatically lead to an economic revolution in our country. Indeed, he argues that trees can and should be central to Kenya’s next long-term vision, following Vision 2030.
‘As the country nears the realization of its current national development blueprint, there is a strong case for positioning forestry and tree-based economies at the heart of the post-2030 agenda, especially under the themes of climate resilience, green industrialization, and rural transformation,’ says Mr Muthamia.
He avers that when people think of Kenya’s future industries, they picture factories, tech hubs, or massive infrastructure, but for him, the root of Kenya’s next industrial revolution is humbler and lies in a simple tree seedling, often planted by a child. ‘Every mango, avocado, or macadamia tree planted today is a factory waiting to open. We must begin to see trees not just as environmental tools but as economic engines,’ Muthamia says.
He refers to a vision where agroforestry becomes the foundation of rural industrialization; fruit trees planted in schools can later feed micro-processing units, juice factories, and packaging plants. Timber trees, when sustainably harvested, can supply furniture workshops, paper mills, and construction firms. ‘In a decade, a school orchard planted by children today could be feeding a local juice cooperative. That could employ their parents. That’s a multiplier effect,’ Muthamia explains.
He notes that across parts of Meru, Kisii, and Bungoma counties, schools are beginning to plant fruit trees – mangoes, pawpaws, oranges not just for shade or aesthetics but for food security, nutrition, and entrepreneurship. ‘A single school with 100 trees could yield thousands of kilograms of fruit annually. Some schools already sell surplus fruits to local markets, investing the proceeds in books, uniforms, or feeding programs. That’s a small economy farming, and it starts with a child, a seedling, and a little water,’ adds Mr Muthamia.
He said the influence doesn’t stop at the school gate but when children learn to care for trees, they often carry the habit home. As a result, families replicate the school model, planting fruit trees around homesteads, diversifying their income, and improving diets.
‘Multiplied across counties and years, this simple act can improve rural nutrition through access to fresh fruits, create new economies in food processing, reduce imports of fruit-based products, and boost exports in addition to inspiring a generation of eco-conscious entrepreneurs. ‘We are looking at a circular economy, deeply rooted in nature and education. It’s the kind of revolution that doesn’t start with machines but with mindset,’ Muthamia says.
As Kenya advances towards a 15 billion tree cover target, Muthamia’s vision is clear: ‘This isn’t just a conservation plan. It’s a blueprint for a new kind of industrialization- one that is green, inclusive, and powered by schoolyards, farms, and homes.’ ‘Planting trees is no longer just about climate. It’s about livelihoods. It’s about industries. And it’s about letting children lead us into a future where every tree is an opportunity,’ says Mr Muthamia.