To mitigate the effects of climate change and curb erosion in African communities, the Zimbabwe First lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, has advised planting trees.
A particular plantation has been specially selected to launch this project. One side of the plantation will benefit the community, while the other will be for the planned schools.
Mashonaland Central being a tobacco farming area, most farmers use firewood to cure their tobacco, leading to the depletion of forests. However, the First lady’s tree-planting initiative has seen the province establishing nurseries in all its districts to reverse deforestation.
Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, passionate about protecting and preserving the environment, works closely with the Forestry Commission and several agencies and departments linked to environmental conservation.
This comes at a time when the loss of trees and other vegetation has resulted in climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and a host of other problems for people.
Some communities also face energy challenges after years of deforestation without replacing the trees. Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Monica Mavhunga, who stood for Dr Mnangagwa, said the envisaged schools deserved to have their own woodlots.
“This place is adorned with trees since it is earmarked for the construction of Goredema Primary and Secondary schools, and they need their own woodlot. Since this tree-planting programme started, as a province, we are attaching great importance to it because our tobacco farmers need energy for tobacco curing, and it’s essential to replace those trees we would have cut down.”
“We are grateful to our mother, the First Lady who is the environment patron and is spearheading this tree planting around the country,” Minister Mavhunga said.
Minister of State and Devolution for Mashonaland Central Monica Mavhunga, representing the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, planted trees in Chiweshe yesterday.
Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi said the First Lady was passionate about environmental conservation.
“She is our Patron in our ministry. She leads us and teaches us the importance of protecting the environment. We are all aware that our seasons are changing, and our rainfall patterns differ from previous years. We now have floods due to climate change; therefore, the First Lady says we should plant trees to mitigate the effects of climate change. If we plant many trees, it will benefit us. Our mother says everyone is responsible for planting trees, including fruit trees at homesteads.
“We have a big role to play, especially here in Mashonaland Central because it is tops in tobacco production. Before cutting down trees for curing tobacco, our patron is saying to consult the Forestry Commission so that they give us trees to replace those we would have cut for the benefit of generations to come. Our target as a ministry is to plant 25 million trees now, at 20 million trees. Communities used to plant trees as a hobby, but with the teachings from the First Lady, they are now taking this seriously. Even in schools, the First Lady is delivering the same teachings so that children grow up knowing the importance of planting trees. There are so many benefits we derive from trees. Dr Mnangagwa encourages women to form clubs to plant trees alongside our traditional chiefs and headmen. There is now a new law called carbon credit which ensures we get money from trees. When the trees grow well, your communities will get cash benefits. If you plant trees as a group, you will be developing the country in line with the President’s constant reminder that a country is developed by its citizens, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’,” she said.
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