By Fostina Mkandawire, MANA
President Lazarus Chakwera has said it is time to start implementing the National Resilient Strategy to ensure a systematic approach to environmental restoration — underpinning the need to implement environmental resilient interventions in order to tackle its related shocks.
Chakwera made the remarks on Monday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during his weekly brief which focused on the environment.
President Chakwera addressing the media
He was in the company of Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo and Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako and he underscored the importance of investing in formulating measures focusing on protecting the environment rather than on disaster relief after the damage has been done.
“It is high time the country took drastic steps to reverse the adverse effects of the environment by fixing soil degradation, replenishing forests with trees and restoring life under water.
“My administration will be investing in strategies that will help in mitigating the risks of natural disasters rather than spending money on relief activities after a disaster has occurred,” he said.
Charcoal burning
The country is losing about 32,000 hectares of forest cover every year, a development the President described as sad.
The President made a commitment last month when he appeared in Parliament to answer questions from legislators, that he would set aside a day to tackle key issues affecting the environment in the country.
He said issues such as the thin plastics ban will be implemented, by ensuring that all key players involved should adhere to the set rules and regulations.
The black gold
As such, the President revealed that government will establish a taskforce that will have technocrats on environmental issues as well as enforcing rules and regulations set by the government.
The taskforce will take a multisectoral approach incorporating every player in the environment sector.
“Taking care of the environment is a civic duty. Everyone has to take part in protecting the environment.
Wood fuel is most affordable for most Malawians
I, therefore, encourage chiefs to take a leading role in educating their subjects on the hazards of environmental degradation,” he said.
One issue that took centre stage at the briefing was that of wanton cutting down of trees for charcoal production.
Chakwera said his administration will not handle the issue of deforestation with a rubber glove — warning that everyone involved in the malpractice will face the arm of the law.
He, therefore, said alternative ways of cooking should be employed like the use of briquettes, gas stoves and paraffin stoves.
Paraffin stoves are the answer
“My government will ensure that all other alternatives sources of energy are prioritized by ensuring that taxes on the imported commodities for cooking are reduced,” he said.
Minister Tembo said her Ministry has set aside different interventions that will focus on reversing environmental shocks that the country is facing.
She cited planting of 4.5 million hectares of natural regenerating trees as one of the interventions.
Mulunguzi Dam, source of water for Zomba
residents
Meanwhile, Zomba Forest Lodge administers restoration Water Catchment Zone along the banks of Mulunguzi River through its Reforestation of the Environment and Ecosystem of Zomba (TREEZ) project.
The lodge, run by Tom Inch and his wife Petal, involves the surrounding communities and in August a tree planting exercise saw the entire length of Zomba Plateau’s Mulunguzi River replanted with indigenous trees.
The exercise was to ensure the future of Zomba City’s water supply and to preserve a beautiful nature conservation zone for tourists, both local and international.
The beauty that is Zomba Plateau
The exercise was carried out by TREEZ in conjunction with Zomba Tour Guides Association, which the Forest Lodge also sponsors for the body to offer its services to tourists in a professional manner.
Established in 2014, TREEZ has been working with local communities and the Forestry Department to reforest over 18 hectares (over 22,000 trees) along streams on the south western slopes of Zomba Plateau.
According to its website, www.zombatreez.com, the project started off being about reforesting and protecting water catchment areas but they soon learned that it wasn’t just about tree planting.
“Over half of our budget goes into fire prevention work which includes creating fire breaks to protect areas from fires and allowing the natural regeneration of trees,” says the intro on the website.
A tree planting exercise
For 2020, TREEZ plan to construct watch towers on the Plateau to be manned thoughout the dry season to help them respond to fires swiftly.
TREEZ also sponsors football and netball teams to help with firefighting and maintenance of the planted trees and also pays patrol personnel to provide early warnings of fires and also provides tools to help with all activities.
In 2018, TREEZ held its first Environmental Awareness concert at Nankhunda Primary School, for the local communities, with Malawian pop star Moses Mkwawa as the main act.
Community participation
It also organises Run4Reforestation, a sporting event as part of raising more awareness and and to raise funds for its administration.
In 2019, it added a ‘Battle of the Bands’ to the Environmental Awareness concert, with 8 schools competing for the best written song about the environment, judged by that year’s headline star act Jay-Jay C amongst others artists, which was recorded and aired by Zodiak Radio.
In an earlier interview, Inch had said Malawi has lost 85% of its trees in the last 30 years, and at current rates of population growth and deforestation, by 2030 the country will no longer have enough biofuel to sustain the population.
He had also said deforestation has a direct impact on water resources and that TREEZ involves the local community in as much as possible in its conservation efforts.
TREEZ has also helped the communities to develop their own woodlots, fruit orchards and agroforestry planting around maize gardens in conjunction with traditional leaders.
The Run 4 Reforestation half marathon, that is organized along the trails of Zomba Plateau, started in 2018 and its second edition was held on September 7 last year, sponsored by Old Mutual, CFAO, Pick-A-Part, Energem Malawi and hosted by Sunbird Ku Chawe.
The aim of the race is to raise funds towards enhancing the conservation and reforestation awareness campaigns as well as to establish the seedling nursery.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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