Lack of sustainable forestry management interventions is reportedly a serious setback frustrating employed afforestation and land restoration efforts in Ntcheu district.
District’s Assistant Forestry Officer, Clotilda Kandota made the remarks during the first phase of tree planting exercise at Mlangeni Police Training School on Wednesday.
Kandota said authorities have now intensified sensitization campaigns on how to sustain planted tree seedlings to increase the trees survival rate.
“Our target is to plant 1.5 million this season. However, we can not achieve this on our own but through collaborative effortsamong various stakeholders,” she said.
Mlangeni Police Training School Commandant, Moses Chibwe said the decision to plant trees surrounding the school’s compound came after realising that trees are crucial in their daily operations.
“As a training school, we deserve to have trees as it is crucial in our daily operations. We commend the inspector general for allowing us to administer this exercise and we promise to put strict measures to sustain majority of the trees,” he said.
Meanwhile, Inkosi Njolomole has committed to shouldering responsibility of supporting the initiative to ensure the vegetative cover for the area is restored back.
One Acre Fund Organization has supported Mlangeni Police Training School with 1000 trees.
In December last year, President Lazarus Chakwera launched the 2022-2023 National Forestry Season in Mangochi which runs up to April this year.