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Tendai Rupapa
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is on course to rehabilitate two million hectares of degraded land, thanks to interventions by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and several organisations, Forestry Commission general manager, Mr Abednigo Marufu has said.

The First Lady is the patron of environment, tourism and hospitality industry, who has always been leading from the front in planting trees across the country’s provinces.

Speaking on the sidelines of the pre-national tree planting gathering at Chabwino Clinic, Mashonaland East yesterday, Mr Marufu praised the mother of the nation for playing a significant role in reclaiming degraded areas.

“We are trying our best,” he said. “The target was 40 million trees countrywide, but because of a few problems due to inadequate rains and others, we are targeting 20 million at the moment. The seedlings are there and are available in most of our nurseries across the country.”

Mr Marufu encouraged Zimbabweans, especially farmers, to take advantage of the current rains to start planting fruit trees, indigenous trees or ornamentals.

At yesterday’s event, Amai Mnangagwa was joined by the community in planting several trees, including a Baobab tree, 300 fruit trees and 1 500 Kenyan croton, which is good for firewood.

“As you know, this is a tobacco growing province, so we are encouraging trees that are fast-growing and heavy branching, so that when they grow they can be used to cure tobacco,” said Mr Marufu.

“Zimbabwe pledged to rehabilitate about two million hectares of land under the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFRI100) programme and we are on course. In the next five years if we multiply 20 million by five, we are going to be at 100 million, so what is important is for the people to look after the trees so that they survive.

“We are happy the First Lady is leading from the front and hopefully every leader in the country will also be able to follow what our First Lady is doing. Amai is saying let us plant the trees and protect them so that we are able to rehabilitate our degraded areas. Also owing to her hard work and hands-on approach, we want to make her a senior forester because really we have been challenged.”

In her remarks, the First Lady felt honoured to spearhead the pre-national tree planting ahead of the National Tree-planting Day observed every first Saturday of December.

She passionately pleaded with citizens to plant more trees countrywide to ensure food security and environmental conservation.

“Most of you may be aware that every first Saturday of December was set aside to encourage everyone to plant a tree,” said the First Lady. “Our gathering here is in preparation for the work that is before us.

“We have already started our preparations for the big day in Midlands, Matabeleland North and Masvingo provinces. Today we are in Mashonaland East to proceed with this big task.”

National Tree-planting Day was established in 1980 to ensure the country enjoys the vast benefits that come with planting trees.

During an interactive session, the First Lady asked the gathering that included the young and the old on the importance of trees in peoples’ lives.

They all gave satisfactory answers, saying trees provided oxygen and that they were important in the provision of fruits, shade, raw materials for industry, manufacturing of medicines, stationery, sculptors and to beautify the environment.

Planting trees, the First Lady emphasised, should not only be done on National Tree-planting Day, but should be an ongoing exercise.

“Trees should be preserved at all times because of their many uses,” she said. “I also urge everyone to plant a tree or even trees on December 5. This year we commemorate the planting of trees under the theme ‘fruit trees for food security and nutrition”.

The First Lady invited primary school pupils to come forward and asked them to name any wild fruit trees.

Some got it right, while others did not, leading the First Lady to appeal to the elderly, teachers, parents and community leaders to teach the younger generation about wild fruits and the health benefits they can accrue from them.

She said trees were also important to animals and insects such as bees which produce honey.

“Sokuziva kwedu huchi hunokurudzirwa kuti tiudye chaizvo neavo vanotaura nezve utano hwevanhu,” she said. “Nechikonzero ichochi, ndinoda kutora mukana uno kukumbira avo vanoshanda nesu mubasa rinokosha rekudyara miti kuti tibatsire vari mumaruwa vagone kuita basa rokuchengetedza nyuchi dzinozovapa huchi.”

The First Lady said this year, the Baobab tree had been selected as the tree to grow.

Baobab trees are common in hot dry areas like Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, Mutoko and Mudzi.

“The baobab tree is highly nutritious and can be used to make various juices,” said the First Lady. “The bark can be used to make mats and hats. I hear those from Mudzi earn a living through this tree and I urge the elderly here present to teach children self-help skills so that we carry forward this business and keep planting more trees.”

As patron for environment, tourism and hospitality industry, the First Lady said she rolled out a programme to plant trees with the Forestry Commission after witnessing massive deforestation during her travels to various areas to assist the needy.

President Mnangagwa will lead the national tree planting in December and the First Lady encouraged people to come out in their numbers to plant trees and protect them so the nation can enjoy the benefits.

“Ndinoyeuchidza kuti munhu wese zvake anonzi mutungamiri kungave kuchurch, kuchikoro, munharaunda matinogara, vezvematongerwe enyika, wese mutungamiri chero chigaro chauinacho kuti tikurudzire vanhu munharaunda dzatinogara kunodyara miti pazuva guru iri. Uye kana taidyara toichengetedza,” she said.

First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa plants an Orange tree during a pre-national tree planting programme at Chabwino Clinic in Goromonzi yesterday

Amai Mnangagwa said even at their homesteads, people must plant fruit trees, while they embraced the Pfumvudza programme.

“I humbly ask those in farming, mining and other ventures to join hands with us in planting trees to replace those we are cutting down in our important ventures,” she said. “Our seasons have changed because of climate change and all we can do is plant trees.

“Still on tobacco production, I want to advise you that the Forestry Commission started a programme called Tobacco Wood Energy Programme (TWEP) which we are moving with here in Mashonaland. Focusing on Mashonaland East Province, this programme commenced at Scorrer Farm in Hwedza at the beginning of this year. We also have places where trees are being grown including Hwedza Business Centre, Juru here in Goromonzi, Mahusekwa and Marondera. I urge our tobacco farmers to buy trees at those places for curing.”

The First Lady, who is also the health ambassador, urged citizens to continue observing health guidelines and protocols to keep the second wave of Covid-19 at bay.

“We must use face masks religiously and promote good health by saying ‘you protect me as I also protect you — Ndidzivirire ini ndigokudzivirirawo,” she said.

Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Aplonia Munzverengwi, thanked the First Lady for her unwavering support in all developmental programmes.

“We are honoured to have Amai today as she advised us to desist from actions that are destructive to our forests such as causing veld fires and firewood vending,” she said. “Your coming to grace us in this tree planting event will bring positive thinking in the conservation of our natural resources.”

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mr Munesushe Munodawafa also attended the event representing the minister.

In his closing remarks, Chief Chinamhora (Lister Chidziva) thanked the First Lady for the tree planting programme.