Fungai Lupande
Mash Central Bureau
People should plant at least one tree, particularly fruit trees, to mark and celebrate life events such as birthdays to enhance food production and security, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Province, Monica Mavhunga has said.

She said on Saturday at Eaglescliff Farm in Ward 8, Bindura South Constituency, during the launch of a fruit tree production programme.

The initiative is supported by Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) and African Centre for Fertiliser Development.

In a speech read on her behalf by Bindura South legislator Remigio Matangira, Minister Mavhunga thanked the community for stepping up and taking part in the fight against effects of global warming and climate change.

“This is a gesture that indicates the utilisation of the knowledge you have now acquired in fighting the effects of climate change. This is beautiful,” she said.

“I commend this community and its leadership for kick-starting this program. There are a lot of benefits from fruit tree production especially when they venture into value addition. This initiative will turn this community into an economic zone.”

Minister Mavhunga said the planet was losing its forest cover, with 80 000 square kilometres of naturally grown forests destroyed every year, hence the need to replace trees through replanting.

“The world has been turned into a ball of fire with deforestation being among the high causes of global warming.

“Zimbabwe loses about 330 000 hectares of forest annually. Forests and woodlands now cover only 45 percent hectares of the country, down from 53 percent in 2014,” she said.

Frontline Institute principal, Mr Doubt Musiiwa, said DAPP does not wait for a crisis to take over but sticks with communities in fighting and taking control.

“The institution is at the exposure of the communities while in turn, the community is a learning ground where knowledge and experiences are exchanged,” he said.

“With support from the Member of Parliament Cde Matangira, we agreed with the community to start an economic zone in fruit and value chain production.

“We are optimistic that with unity of purpose, a door-to-door campaign shall train all to have passion for producing their own food and embrace this initiative.”

Ms Fungai Karimazondo (45) of Burnside Farm said there was massive deforestation in Ward 8 due to tobacco farming.

“These are resettled farms and people here were not making long-term development plans. We have seen the need to plant trees and establish orchards,” she said.