adminSpeaking during the belated Matabeleland South provincial Africa Environment Day commemorations at Malala village in Beitbridge last Friday, Sen Mohadi expressed concern over illegal gold panning, poor farming methods and urbanisation. She said these were the major causes of environmental degradation and deforestation.
“Matabeleland South and the country at large, including the entire African continent, are faced with several environmental problems some of which include the loss of biodiversity, climate change and desertification, among others.
Although we have natural phenomena such as floods, drought and invasive alien species, human activities are however, the major drivers such as illegal gold panning and poor farming methods as they cause land and environmental degradation and we need to join hands and fight that trend,” she said.
Sen Mohadi urged local communities to protect the environment through embracing various Government programmes aimed at fighting against the effects of deforestation.
“The focus of the event this year is greening the economy by all sectors of the community. In rural communities, we continue to urge people to plant trees as a way of greening the environs.
“We also urge companies to employ various techniques and strategies to improve and reduce the negative impact of their activities on the environment. As a way of giving back to their communities and demonstrating industry’s concern about the well-being of the environment, companies should go green by recycling waste within their facilities as well as strive to reduce carbon emissions,” she said.
The “Greening the Economy” initiative has come to Zimbabwe as a response to high levels of industrialisation globally that has seen an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases.
“Environmental issues cut across all societal as well as business divide, hence adding the ‘greening the economy’ concept is key to the country’s development. It is therefore prudent to ensure that all developmental projects or ventures are environmentally sustainable as they depend on the earth’s natural resources,” Sen Mohadi said.
Speaking at the same occasion, the acting chief executive officer of Beitbridge Rural District Council, Mrs Agnes Singo, urged local communities to preserve natural resources.
“Most of our rural areas have been turned into deserts largely because locals are in the habit of cutting trees willy-nilly resulting in deforestation. As council, we are working with the various stakeholders among them Forestry Commission through our Campfire project on various conservation programmes aimed at reducing deforestation,” she said.
The district forestry extension officer for Beitbridge, Mr Beloved Sithole, said Forestry Commission in conjunction with Care International, a local NGO, were working on plans to set up nurseries around the district as a mitigatory measure against future natural disasters such as hailstorms and strong winds.
Africa Environment Day (Wangari Maathai Day) is an annual event commemorated every year on 3 March to raise awareness on major environmental challenges facing the continent.
The day was set aside in 2002 by the African Union in recognition of the instrumental role played by the late renowned Kenyan environmentalist, Wangari Maathai, on different environmental awareness programmes he championed in Africa.
This year’s event was held under the theme: “Greening the Economy — play your part”.
The event was attended by the Member of Parliament for Beitbridge West, Metrine Mudau, the local district administrator, Mr Simon Muleya, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials, local heads of Government departments and councillors.
Online Reporter