Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged governments, development partners and communities worldwide to intensify efforts to restore degraded rangelands and protect fragile ecosystems, warning that environmental degradation poses a serious threat to livelihoods, food security and economic stability.
Speaking during the Global Observance of Desertification and Drought Day in Vipingo, Kilifi County, on Wednesday, Kindiki said Kenya remains committed to restoring ecosystems through large-scale conservation initiatives, including the planting of 15 billion trees by 2032.
The event, held under the theme “Rangelands, Recognize, Respect, Restore,” brought together environmental leaders, government officials, development partners and stakeholders to discuss strategies for combating land degradation, drought and desertification.
Kindiki said the scale of environmental challenges facing the world requires urgent and coordinated action.
“We must recognize the numbers, we must recognize the magnitude of the challenge before us, and we must recognize the duty the present generation owes, not to ourselves, but to future generations,” he said.
The Deputy President emphasized that rangelands, wetlands and forests play a critical role in sustaining communities and economies, noting that their degradation directly affects food production, water resources and livelihoods.
He warned that continued land degradation has far-reaching social and economic consequences.
“When land loses its productivity, farmers lose harvests, people lose income, pastoralists lose livestock, communities lose water sources and young people lose opportunities. The consequences are poverty, conflict and displacement,” Kindiki said.
He challenged perceptions that wetlands and other natural landscapes are unproductive areas, describing them instead as vital ecosystems that support biodiversity and economic activity.
“We must recognize that wetlands are not wastelands, wetlands are ecosystems of activity,” he said.
The Deputy President also called for greater accountability in environmental conservation efforts, arguing that governments and institutions must set measurable targets and establish monitoring mechanisms to track progress.
“We know what we need to do. We know the action we need to take. What we must do now is provide timelines and establish a way of checking ourselves to make sure that we are on track,” he said.
Invoking the principle of intergenerational responsibility, Kindiki said environmental conservation should be guided by the obligation to safeguard natural resources for future generations.
“We have not inherited this land from our ancestors; we have only borrowed it from our children,” he said.
The Deputy President highlighted Kenya’s collaboration with international environmental agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, saying global partnerships remain essential in tackling land degradation and climate-related challenges.
As part of Kenya’s ambitious tree-growing programme, Kindiki announced that priority will be given to species with both environmental and economic value, including mangroves, coconut trees, mango trees and cashew nut trees, particularly in coastal counties.
“These trees do not only help conserve the environment; they also create wealth and put money in the pockets of the people of Kilifi and the entire coastal region,” he said.
He further directed that mangrove restoration efforts in Kilifi be intensified, calling for increased planting to support coastal ecosystem rehabilitation.
“We must commit to increasing the number of mangroves planted here in Kilifi every month,” he said.
Kindiki assured local communities that the government would continue incorporating indigenous knowledge into conservation programmes to ensure restoration efforts remain sustainable and economically beneficial.
“We must respect communities and their knowledge. We must also protect them, and we must support them,” he said.
The event was attended by Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ngeno, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP Ida Odinga, senior UNEP officials, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders.