BY DRAXON MALOYA

 

A Trust formulated to ensure that the  northern region benefits from the national cake in all areas of development, Nyika Development Trust (NDT) is championing community involvement in their massive participation in this year’s tree planting season.

 

The exercise is aimed at replenishing most of the bare grounds with different tree species.

 

Considering natural calamities associated  with the effects of environmental degradation and climate change originating from wanton cutting down of trees, the Trust has embarked on a tree planting exercise across the region and is expected to plant more than 20 000 tree seedlings.

 

Chairperson for Zimema Community Natural Resources and Forestry Committee, Joseph Chigalu Mfuni said Ekwendeni and most parts of Mzimba have already started experiencing some effects of desertification due to unemployment, construction activities and rapid urbanisation of Mzuzu City.

 

Mfuni said there is need for massive community participation in the preservation and conservation of Forestry resources if the current generation should walk the talk in the fulfilment of the Malawi Vision (MV 2063) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

“This is the generation that has wantonly cut down trees for our area to reach this desertification state, but we can’t wait for someone to come from elsewhere to remind us about the importance of tree planning and yet we have the MV 2063,” stressed Mfuni.

 

NDT Chairperson for Rumphi District Chapter, Kingston Kazingamtima Msiska said this year’s tree planting exercise will go as far as the neglected Likoma and Chizumulo Islands where some tree species including bamboos will be planted.

 

“The effects of deforestation have already started impinging on the lives of many people in our communities, every district will plant it’s own tree species depending on the climatic conditions and that is the reason some bamboos have been acquired for similar exercises in Chizumulo and Likoma Islands,” said Msiska.

 

In his remarks Group Village Headman Zimema-Mchizi made an assurance that his subjects will take this year’s tree planting exercise seriously by ensuring that all the bare grounds have been covered with trees to mitigate some of the challenges encountered in the work of natural disasters.

 

Meanwhile, NDT has already sourced tree seedlings worth K5 million which will be planted in all the districts in the region targeting: schools, churches, workplaces and Village structures.

The tree planting season which started on 15 December last year runs up to April 15th  this year in which government was expecting more than 6 million trees to be planted.