‘Capacitate traditional leaders’

Ngoni Dapira Post Correspondent
THE Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene, has called on the Government to capacitate traditional leaders in the ongoing campaign to curb deforestation in communal lands.

Cde Chimene said this last Saturday during the National Tree Planting Day provincial commemorations held in Mutasa.

The National Tree Planting Day which is a national event takes place on the first Saturday of December every year and Zimbabwe has been honouring the event since 1980.

It marks the start of the tree planting season which runs from the onset of the rainy season right up to the end of April.

Although the provincial commemorations were done, President Mugabe is expected to officiate at this year’s National Tree Planting Day commemorations during the Zanu-PF National People’s Conference in Victoria Falls already underway this week.

Cde Chimene said Honde Valley used to be a rainforest but was fast becoming a desert due to massive deforestation, just like several regions throughout the country.

“We do not want Honde Valley to turn into a desert. The problem is that our traditional leadership has lost its grip. People no longer respect them. As Government we need to capacitate our traditional leadership and preserve their power. By so doing even the current problems of deforestation will be cut back,” said the resident Minister.

Manicaland Provincial Forestry Extension manager, Mr Phillip Tomu said Manicaland has the prime and most pristine forests which are now under threat from massive deforestation.

He added that although there have been ongoing campaigns by the Forest Commission and stakeholders to educate communities on dangers of deforestation, socio-economic push factors were reversing progress made.

“The problem of deforestation has always been centred on the increase in power outages. This has fuelled the need for alternative energy while others now run lucrative businesses from selling firewood especially in the peri urban areas,” said Mr Tomu.

He said the advent of indigenous farmers, particularly those into tobacco farming was also fueling deforestation of indigenous trees which are used as firewood in curing tobacco.

He said to-date over 34 000 hectares of prime forestland had been converted for crop use, which has become a growing concern.

One of the Honde Valley villagers, Mr Charles Madziro said fears of relocation also made people unco-operative in reforestation programmes.

“In 1948 during the colonial era people were relocated to tribal lands when the area was found to be conducive for plantation forestry. So some villagers even up to now shun replanting programmes in fear of being relocated. So more awareness campaigns are needed,” said Mr Madziro.

The Forestry Commission estimates that over 330 000 hectares of trees are cut down annually. This year the commission aims to plant 15 million trees to help combat deforestation. In 2014-2015 season, the target was 12 million but it was surpassed to reach a record 12.5 million trees planted. This year’s tree of the year, which is an indigenous tree, is the Vangueriain fausta, commonly known in English as velvet wild medlar or African medlar. In Shona it is called Munzviru or Munzvirwa while in Ndebele it is known as Umviyo.

The fruit provides valuable nutrition for humans, wild animals and livestock and contains significant amounts of vitamin C, sodium, calcium and magnesium, as well as carbohydrates and protein.