Theseus Mauruki Shambare
THE Ministry of Lands and Rural Development is targeting the planting of at least 100 000 trees across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces within a month under an initiative designed to transform environmental conservation into a rural economic empowerment programme.
The campaign, which runs from November 1 to December 1, 2026, will see 10 000 trees planted in each province under the ministry’s initiative, dubbed “Our Land, Our Care.”
The programme complements the national target of planting 25 million trees during the 2026/27 tree-planting season spearheaded by the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe.
Lands and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Prosper Bvumiranayi Matondi said the programme seeks to promote responsible land management while creating opportunities for communities to generate income from natural resources. The initiative encompasses land restoration, climate resilience and the development of sustainable rural livelihoods.
“‘Our Land, Our Care’ is conceived not simply as a tree-planting exercise, but as a broader national initiative to promote responsible land stewardship and the sustainable utilisation of our natural resources, leading to prosperous livelihoods and communities,” Prof Matondi said. He said trees should increasingly be viewed as productive economic assets capable of supporting rural enterprises, creating employment and diversifying household incomes.
“Properly managed, they can support agroforestry, fruit production, sustainable timber development, bee-keeping and other nature-based enterprises for the sustainable up-liftment of our people’s livelihoods,” he said.
The ministry’s long-term strategy includes establishing community woodlots, fruit orchards, agro-forestry systems and institutional nurseries. Women and young people are expected to benefit from opportunities in seedling production, nursery management and fruit processing, enabling them to participate in nature-based businesses.
Launched amid increasing climate variability, the programme prioritises tree species suited to the ecological conditions of each province, promoting indigenous and drought-tolerant varieties alongside moisture-conservation measures such as mulching and the construction of watering basins. To ensure accountability, the ministry will deploy technology and monitoring frameworks.
“Where practical, geo-referencing and photographic documentation will be used to track planting sites and verify implementation. We will also promote systematic assessments at three, six and 12 months to determine survival rates, identify challenges and guide corrective interventions, including the replacement of failed seedlings where necessary,” Prof Matondi said.
