Tobacco companies should do more in afforestation—AHL Group

companies involved in the tobacco industry have been urged to do more in the afforestation drive.

AHL Group Chinkhoma Auction Floors assistant floors manager Sam Chimwaza said this on Monday at Kasasanya Primary School in Sub-Traditional Authority (S/TA) Mphomwa in Kasungu during the launch of the company’s tree-planting season.

He said the tobacco industry in Malawi relies a lot on trees and it is therefore, imperative that all companies in the industry take a greater role in making sure that many trees are planted.

“The tobacco industry uses a lot of trees mostly when it comes to curing certain kinds of tobacco and making shades or barns for drying tobacco. At the moment, the only way to cure tobacco is through use of wood, therefore, trees are very important.

“It is with this view that companies in the tobacco industry should be at the forefront in afforestation either by planting trees or donating tree seedlings,” said Chimwaza.

He added that if trees were not there, it would be suicidal for the industry since there is no modern technology for curing tobacco.

S/TA Mphomwa, while thanking AHL Group for planting trees in his area, said the tobacco industry has indeed contributed to the cutting down of trees, adding that it is only a few people who are involved in replacing trees.

He urged his fellow leaders to encourage their subjects to plant many trees.

AHL Group, which is involved in tobacco and other commodity marketing, has donated 3 330 tree seedlings to Kasasanya Primary School, some of which are fruit trees.

The company’s tree- planting programme is implemented every year in all the regions of the country. n