Mzimba senior forestry officer Masozi Shaba says Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme is promoting the conservation and management of forests in the district.
She said this on Monday following activities that communities are implementing in different catchment areas in the district.
Shaba said as forests keep dwindling in Malawi due to rampant deforestation, forest management interventions under the programme are turning things around through replenishing depleted trees in forests and various catchment areas.
“For instance, here in Mzimba, we are witnessing great improvements in vegetative cover due to the trees being planted in various catchment areas and forest reserves,” she said.
Shaba said charcoal producers have been targeting Perekezi and Mtangatanga forests and the initiative will help to restore trees.
“The interventions have also helped us to be on course to achieving the National Policy of 2016, which focuses on establishing, conserving and planting trees,” she said.
Mzimba District senior land resource conservation officer Olive Nyalira said the programme’s participants are pleased with Karonga’ the interventions.
“At least 12 000 participants in the district’s 19 catchment areas are working to restore degraded landscapes,” she said.
One of the participants, Grace Nyirenda, from Msipazi Catchment Area in Traditional Authority Kampingo Sibande said preserving forests is crucial for farming.
“Vegetation plays an important role in rain cycle, as such, we work hard to plant trees to improve the district’s vegetative cover,” he said.
The district is implementing the programme with support from the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
