This archive report was first published on 23 December 2021.
On December 23, 2021, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa-Kenya (CCBA-K) announced a significant tree planting project in Mt. Kenya's Hombe forest.
The project, a collaborative effort with Nature Kenya, aims to plant 90,000 tree seedlings within a three-year period, divided into two phases.
According to Susan Maingi, Public Affairs and Communications Director at Coca-Cola, phase one of the restoration project has already been completed, with 15,000 seedlings planted in the region.
The Hombe restoration site includes a swamp on the verge of drying up, and the newly planted trees are expected to resuscitate the wetland as they mature.
Maingi emphasized the importance of preserving Mt. Kenya's catchment area, citing its role as the most productive basin for agriculture in Kenya, supplying 95 percent of Nairobi's water.
"We will maintain Coca-Cola's global metric of 100 percent water replenishment, focusing on improving watershed health in water-stressed areas that are critical to our business, our communities, and our agricultural supply chain," Maingi said.
The chairperson of the Hombe Community Forest Association (CFA), Wilson Thige, expressed his optimism about the project, highlighting its potential to generate income for local residents through the sale of seedlings.
"I am grateful to the management of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa-Kenya and Nature Kenya for their support towards the restoration of our forest," Thige said. "I appeal to others to also join us in making Hombe and the larger Mt. Kenya forest regain its original state," he added.
