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Noah Pito in Hurungwe
Tobacco farmers in Hurungwe should consider diversifying into cotton and maize production to reduce the alarming level of deforestation in the area, an official has said.

In an interview recently, Hurungwe Rural District Council chief executive Mr Joram Misheck Moyo lashed out at tobacco merchants for failing to abide by council by-laws that call for the need to come up with sustainable sources of fuel for their farmers.

He also accused traditional leaders, especially village headsrow n of receiving bribes from tobacco farmers who wantonly destroy forests.

“Deforestation is a thorny issue in Hurungwe given that tobacco is now being grown by almost everyone, including those without any sustainable means of curing their crop,” said Mr Moyo.

“The destruction is widespread across the council’s 26 wards and the blame lies squarely on tobacco merchants who contract farmers in the area without providing sustainable means of curing the tobacco as required by our by-laws.

“We have engaged these companies on several occasions before, but they have continued to violate the by-laws as they are not concerned about the depletion of the forests.

“We are organising a crucial meeting with them to try and find a lasting solution to the problem.”

Mr Moyo said village heads, who were supposed to be the custodians of natural resources, were also involved in the deforestation.

“There are reports that the village heads give the perpetrators the go-ahead after receiving bribes,” he said.

Deforestation has reportedly increased ahead of the next tobacco season with forests being cleared during the night.

“Even when our resource monitors move around, it’s hard to identify the culprits because the firewood is stashed in pits and trenches,” Mr Moyo said.

“We are urging farmers in places that fall under Natural Region 5 like Chirariro and Fuleche to switch to cotton farming in order to curb the deforestation.

“The farmers must take advantage of Government’s Command Agriculture programmes for cotton and maize production.”

Mr Moyo called on chiefs to encourage village heads to take a leading role in the battle against deforestation.

“Our council has only one resource monitor per every ward, a number which is very small compared to the area covered by each ward,” he said.

Chief Chundu concurred with Mr Moyo, accusing village heads of acting in cahoots with people destroying the forests in Hurungwe.

“Some village heads are renowned figures in tobacco farming, they no longer have control over their subjects as they have become perpetrators themselves,” he said.

“Some are receiving bribes, but the problem emanated from tobacco companies who are not respecting the traditional leadership.”

Chief Chindu absolved contract farmers from the practice, but blamed tobacco merchants for failing to plough back into the community.

Zimbabwe’s constitution recognises chiefs as custodians of natural resources in their areas of jurisdiction under the Traditional Leaders Act.