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George Maponga in Masvingo
Environment patron First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa has challenged Zimbabweans to embrace a culture of tree planting to replenish and expand forests that she said are a key natural resource instrumental in helping the country to become an upper middle income economy by 2030.

The First Lady said restoration and preservation of forests augured well with Zimbabwe’s plans to adopt as green economy, joining other progressive nations across the globe that have adopted eco-friendly polices to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In a speech read on her behalf by Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira at Mutimwi Primary School in Zaka during a provincial tree planting programme last Saturday,the First Lady rallied the nation to adopt the “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra by taking the initiative to plant trees in their localities.

She said planting trees and replenishing forests was key in mitigating the effects of climate change, noting that trees were a key natural resource that sustained communities mainly in terms of nutrition and stemming degradation and siltation of rivers and dams.

“Planting of trees and reforestation is key in achieving Vision 2030 goals because trees are a key natural resource that benefits communities in many different ways, including as a source of fruits that contribute to body nutrition hence healthy lives and also stemming soils erosion which causes siltation of rivers and dams in areas where we live,” said Amai Mnangagwa.

“The world is also moving towards green economies and Zimbabwe should not be left behind, hence the need to plant trees and preserve our forests. Uncontrolled cutting down of trees spawns desertification and none of us would like to live in desert-like conditions because there are no trees and forests.”

Amai Mnangagwa said depletion of forests should be stemmed by planting both exotic and indigenous trees across the country.

Even delicacies like mopane worms were increasingly getting depleted owing to wanton cutting down of trees.

She also rallied traditional leaders, Government officials and political leaders to adopt and take the gospel of tree planting to their communities if Zimbabwe was to win the war against deforestation.

“In this era of recurrent droughts caused by climate change, forests play a key role as a major source of fruits that have nutritional value to the human body. Trees are also a source of traditional medicine while forests are a key habitat for wild animals.”

Amai Mnangagwa disclosed that on a positive note the annual rate of deforestation in the country ad gone down compared to 2010.

Twelve years ago the annual rate of deforestation was about 330 000 hectaress but the figure has receded to the current 262 000ha.

She cautioned that the decline in annual deforestation should not be cause for the nation to fold its hands and rest on its laurels, but rather galvanise Zimbabweans to continue planting more trees.

The First Lady decried wanton logging of trees for firewood for sale saying that practice must stop forthwith.

Zimbabwe should take a cue from other countries like India where the area under forests continue to expand every year.

The ongoing tree planting initiative countrywide was in support of President Mnangagwa’s drive for the country to plant both indigenous and exotic trees that he launched in Mberengwa on 4 December 2021.

Amai Mnangagwa urged communities to take the gospel of tree planting and preserving forests to schools to create a future generation that valued the importance of preserving forests and planting trees.

Turning to Zaka, the First Lady commended the community for adopting President Mnangagwa’s “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra as evidenced by a number of initiatives that are set to transform lives of communities such as reforestation.

The First Lady said the fruits from initiatives by communities in Zaka would be witnessed in future as the nation angles towards Vision 2030. Zaka is one of the districts that is already benefiting from preservation of forests with communities benefiting financially from the ubiquitous guava plantations that are a source of guavas.

Traders from as far afield as Beitbridge flock to places such as Zaka to buy guavas that are used for making fruit juice.

Minister Chadzamira planted a gum tree and monkey bread tree (Musekesa) at Mutimwi Primary on behalf of the First Lady.

The First Lady also handed over fruit trees to the Mutimwi community which they planted in a fenced community garden.

The event was graced by senior Government officials and traditional leaders among others.