Marsabit — The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry through Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has kicked off the recruitment of 4,000 unskilled tree nursery attendants into the ‘Green Army’ initiative
Green Army tree nursery attendants will support the 15 billion national tree growing and ecosystem restoration programme by propagating seedlings, participating in tree planting and offering extension services.
Speaking during a two-day working visit of Marsabit County last week, Environment, Climate Change and Forestry CS Soipan Tuya said Green Army recruits will be deployed to KFS forest stations countrywide.
She said the 4,000 recruits sought will form the first cohort of the Green Army programme that will be expanded over time to benefit 100,000 youth.
“We have advertised green army jobs. Green army will be youth that will be involved in propagation of seedlings and assist in offering tree growing extension services.
“To qualify, one needs to be above 18 years and have a little literacy. To our youth, don’t just sit idle in town centres, please apply for these jobs and put your efforts in tree growing,” CS Tuya said.
At the same time, CS Tuya assured of a transparent and fair Green Army recruitment exercise, urging KFS officials to give first priority to qualified local applicants.
“One of the focus of Green Army is KFS forest stations. Even if it is two or five opportunities earmarked for your station, please give them to locals,” CS Tuya told KFS officials.
In an advert circulated last week, KFS is seeking to recruit the 4,000 tree nursery attendants on a one-year contract, whose renewal will be subject to availability of funding and satisfactory performance by the recruits.
The attendants will be deployed to the 300 KFS tree nurseries across the country where they will be involved in propagation of seedlings by among other roles, sowing of seeds and wildings and potting of seedlings.
The tree nursery attendants will be paid a monthly wage of between Kshs 8,613 to Kshs 16,401, depending on their duty stations, and will be eligible for NHIF and NSSF cover.
Applications for the Green Army tree nursery attendants jobs are open until 22nd July 2023. Information on application and recruitment process is available on KFS website and at forest stations across the country.
The hiring of the 4,000 Green Army tree nursery attendants follows the recent employment of 2,700 forest rangers and ongoing recruitment of 600 foresters, all aimed at repositioning the forestry sector as a key economic driver.