NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 21 — The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said on Saturday that it had conducted an aerial seed balling exercise in Isiolo County as part of efforts to increase tree cover in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
The School of Infantry (SOI), working with the Kenya Air Force, dispersed 500,000 seedballs containing assorted Acacia species across areas with low vegetation within the SOI military training grounds.
“This innovative approach complements conventional tree planting by enabling restoration of hard-to-reach terrain and enhancing tree growing efforts in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs),” KDF said.
The initiative, often referred to as “seed bombing”, is designed to supplement traditional tree planting by restoring vegetation in difficult-to-access terrain.
KDF said the exercise forms part of its contribution to Kenya’s 15 Billion Tree Growing Initiative, supporting ongoing tree planting activities across military units following the onset of the long rains.
The programme also builds momentum towards the International Day of Forests, observed annually on March 21, and aligns with the military’s broader principle of Total National Defence, which emphasizes environmental stewardship as a component of national security.
Officials noted that aerial seed balling not only enhances tree cover in ASALs but also strengthens resilience against environmental degradation and climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions.
