CLIMATE CHANGE mitigation
Written by Millennium on March 11, 2019
By Ketra Kalunga
Council and the Rotary Club of Ndola-Kafubu have embarked on an ambitious exercise of climate change abatement through conservation of forests.
The partnership program involves Tree planting, Education on dangers of deforestation, Training charcoal traders on other income generating activities other than charcoal.
The project would also engage children in schools on the dangers of deforestation through Early Childhood Education.
Deforestation in Kapiri Mposhi which is one of the major contributors of climate change, is posing a threat to the reserve forest in the district.
According to analysts, the district is the most affected area with deforestation as most of the charcoal used in Lusaka and the Copperbelt comes from Kapiri Mposhi.
This is so because it has been observed that Zambia uses a lot of charcoal for energy in homes and other services.
However the charcoal in use comes from cutting down of trees which ultimately leads to deforestation.
Kapiri Mposhi district forestry officer, Darius Maluzi consolidates this fact when he explains charcoal manufacturing which is rampant in the area as the main cause of deforestation.
Unplanned settlements and inappropriate farming methods are also among the main causes of deforestation, added Mr Maluzi.
It is for this reason that Kapiri Mposhi town council has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ndola-Kafubu Rotary Club for the next three years.
The MOU saw the Launch of a Tree Planting project which kicked off with about 100 trees planted at Kapiri Morden School on Friday, March 1, 2019.
Ndola-Kafubu Rotary club president, Evans Mauta said the project which has been part of the long plan by his club and the district administration would see about 500 more trees planted this year.
Mr Mauta said during the Launch that the district was on the verge of a break through in this project which he was a major undertaking.
He urged key stakeholders in the district to be part of the exercise in order to achieve the desired results.
Mr Mauta acknowledged that there might be teething challenges but urged stakeholders involved to be optimistic.
He noted, “There is a bright future lying in front of us. In future when we look back am positive we shall all be proud to have been part of this and also around of the achievement.
Mr Mauta further urged stakeholders to brace themselves for more activities as the project unveils.
Speaking earlier, Kapiri Mposhi town council chairperson, Obby Kabasa said the local authority appreciate the Rotary Club for its help of restocking of trees in the district that have been depleted by charcoal burning and other bad agricultural activities.
Mr Kabasa explained that trees help a lot in ecosystem adding that land without trees does not have complete life.
The gesture should not end here but this should be the beginning and should continue in the years to come as it is said that a journey of a 1,000 mile begins with a single step, said Mr Kabasa.
He also urged Kapiri Modern school and residents to support the project saying other stakeholders like UNEP, USAID and ZEMA are closing monitoring and supporting the district in fighting climate change.
And pupils of Kapiri Modern school were the Tree Planting project was launched said they have learnt a lot on the importance of trees to the environment as explained by the district forestry officer, Mr Maluzi.
Nelly Siweka appreciated the fact that trees purify the air thereby providing us with oxygen essential for breathing.
Misheck Mwanza was optimistic the Tree Planting exercise would bring back the lost forestry in Kapiri Mposhi.
The pupils commended Kapiri Town Council and Ndola-Kafubu rotary club for the initiative and have pledged to be ambassadors of climate change abatement in the district.
True, sensitization of the dangers of deforestation, indiscriminate cutting down of trees and importance of trees to the environment might lead to preserving of a green economy.
