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Tawanda Mangoma in CHIREDZI

Government and private investors have been challenged to take advantage of the Lowveld’s predominantly sunny weather to set up solar plants for power generation in the wake of the prevailing electricity load shedding.

Residents here said establishing solar plants for power would stem rampant deforestation taking place at an alarming rate in the Lowveld, amid fears of desertification if wanton logging of trees for charcoal is not contained. Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association chair Mr Jonathan Muusha said the heat received in Chiredzi and areas around the district created favourable conditions for investment into solar energy and ease the prevailing power woes.

“It’s very sad that our country has failed to adopt the smart energy concept which encompass the use of solar energy and wind power to generate electricity which is in short supply,” he said.

“Here in Chiredzi temperatures at times reach 43 degrees Celsius and all that energy should have been converted into power that would easy electricity problems.”

Mr Muusha said given that most livelihoods in Chiredzi depend on sugarcane production and private entrepreneurial activities, the unavailability of power has ripple effects which are now affecting the standards of living.

“Farmers use electricity for irrigation and their alternative source of energy, diesel, is also in short supply. This means the production cycle in the sugar industry might be affected, hence pressure on breadwinners. If you tour the light industrial area, their business had been affected serious due to the unavailability of power.”

Mr Emmanuel Matimba a Tshovani resident said the rate at which forests are being destroyed will fuel desertification in no time.

“Farmers in most new resettlement areas are primarily focusing on supplying charcoal and firewood to readily available markets in Harare, Chiredzi and Masvingo,” he said.

“They know that the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is fighting against deforestation and they are now trading and transporting the firewood during the night.

“The price of LP Gas is no longer affordable to many households so they are forced to purchase firewood and charcoal which would be relatively cheap.”

Chiredzi District EMA officer Mr Peter Mugodi said there was need for farmers to be educated about the effects of climate change.

“You find that someone would trigger a veld fire that would destroy over 25 000 hectares of flora just because he wanted charcoal from one log,” he said. “Such an incident occurred in Ward 24 and it’s bad for the environment.

“Our message mainly to occupants of farms which are being destroyed by firewood poachers is they must notify us quickly or send anonymous message just because we want to stop the rampant destruction of our heritage at all cost.”

Government responded to widespread logging of trees in the Lowveld by beefing patrols by security forces, but the move has failed to stem the vice.