Govt hands over KR500,000 forestry tools

–Government hands over tools and

equipment worth over KR500,000 to the forestry department in the central province

towards the successful implementation of the national tree planting program.

 

The consignment was handed over to the department by central province permanent

secretary Annie Sinyangwe at a ceremony held in Kabwe today.

 

Among the tools and equipment handed over were a tractor, a trailer, disc plough,

and poly pipes for the water reticulation system.

 

Others included a fencing wire, two water tanks and supporting stands.

 

Officiating at the hand over and commissioning ceremony, the permanent secretary said rich forest

resources if used wisely could generate valuable economic, social and cultural benefits.

 

Mrs  Sinyangwe said that with the increased demand for forest products

and issues of climate change, government has introduced  tree planting as an

intervention for mitigating change in weather patterns and as well as a

strategy to enhance food security.

 

She said tree planting has many benefits such as the provision of

timber poles, fruits, leaf biomass for fodder and soil improvement,

adding that the establishment would also give rise to more jobs both

casual and permanent categories.

 

Mrs Sinyangwe said the national tree planting program has led to the

establishment of a  large scale nursery at Mpima Forestry

station in Kabwe.

 

The nursery will supply assorted seedlings for plantation

establishment and enrichment planting in degraded forest areas of

central province.

 

She was however said that despite the benefits derived from forests, they

had continued to reduce in number countrywide with the deforestation rate standing

between 250,000 to 300,000 hectares per annum.

 

Principal Extension Officer Geoffrey Musonda said the province has

pot filled 1,420, 000 pots, raised a total of 274,000 assorted

seedlings and employed over 452 casual workers.

 

Mr Musonda said at full nursery capacity the province will establish

1,000 hectares during the 2013/2014 tree planting season in the

degraded forest areas.

 

He appealed to the government to consider providing the department

with more permanent workers and casuals to further enhance the tree

production in the province.