Diaspora Affairs Ministry, WWF-Kenya Explore Tree-Planting Initiative to Boost Climate Action

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs is seeking to deepen environmental conservation efforts through a new partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya, targeting Kenya’s diaspora community in an ambitious tree-growing initiative.

During a meeting held today, Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu hosted a delegation from WWF-Kenya led by Chief Executive Officer Jackson Kiplagat to deliberate on the proposed Diaspora Tree Growing Initiative.

The partnership aims to mobilize Kenyans living abroad to contribute to national environmental sustainability efforts, aligning with Kenya’s broader climate and reforestation goals. Officials noted that the initiative would tap into the diaspora’s resources and influence to support tree-planting efforts across the country.

Discussions focused on refining the initiative’s conceptual framework and situating it within Kenya’s long-term environmental strategy. The proposal received strong backing from PS Njogu, who highlighted its alignment with the State Department’s existing Diaspora Forests programme.

She emphasized that the initiative would play a key role in advancing Kenya’s ambitious goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, a flagship effort aimed at increasing forest cover and combating climate change.

The meeting brought together senior officials from both institutions, including Dr. John Korir, Secretary of Administration at the State Department, alongside WWF-Kenya representatives and SDDA staff.

If implemented, the initiative is expected to strengthen collaboration between government and conservation partners while positioning the Kenyan diaspora as a critical stakeholder in the country’s environmental future.