Jakarta:Teso North Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya has encouraged farmers to transition from tobacco farming to alternative crops such as avocado and coffee. He highlighted the occupational health risks and environmental concerns linked to tobacco production.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kaunya addressed these issues during a tree-planting exercise on Mazingira day at Achiya Echakara Training Institute. He explained that nicotine absorption through the skin while handling wet tobacco leaves could lead to green tobacco sickness. Additionally, he noted that tobacco curing has led some farmers to cut down trees for firewood, exacerbating deforestation and diminishing tree cover in the region.
Kaunya has called on National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) to enhance efforts in community sensitization on tree growing, urging residents to plant trees in their areas.
Teso North Deputy County Commissioner Solom Kitai reported that 2,000 trees were planted during the event. He emphasized that similar initiatives would continue in schools and communities to align with Kenya’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 and boosting the country’s tree and forest cover to over 30 percent.
Teso North Forest Officer Florence Ogana advised residents to focus on planting indigenous tree species. She explained that these trees, with their deep-root systems, could stabilize soil and reduce erosion, particularly in the constituency’s sandy-loam soils.
Ogana also stressed the importance of increasing tree cover along the Northern Corridor, notably the Bungoma-Malaba Highway, to combat carbon dioxide emissions from heavy traffic. She pointed out that trees play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide, thus aiding climate change mitigation and environmental conservation.
