Mopane woodland under siege in Wedza
January 6, 2013 in Community News
WEDZA— The indigenous mopane tree is under siege here from villagers who are
cutting it before burning it to extract charcoal for sell to dealers who
have swarmed the district from Mutare.
REPORT BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
The worst affected areas include Chikurumadziva, Mutiweshiri and Mangoro,
where the labour-intensive charcoal-making business has become a source of
living for several villagers.
Tree trunks are burnt through the night before villagers extract charcoal in
the day, using simple tools like hammers.
The burning charcoal is then covered with river sand for cooling.
The charcoal is sold to dealers who pay US$1 per bucket and US$3 per 50kg.
The dealers re-sell the charcoal to boarding schools, tobacco farmers and
urban dwellers in Manicaland, who use it as a substitute for electricity.
The villagers said they were earning a living from the charcoal business.
“It is a hard job but at least we have something in our pockets,” said one
charcoal dealer, Maria Mbengwe.
“If it were not for these dealers, our festive season would have been bleak.
The buyers come after every two weeks and I can sell more than 30 bags of
charcoal.”
Another villager, Theresa Mutsvanga said, “Rains are no longer reliable in
this area such that we have to find other means of survival and this
charcoal business is one such means.”
Chikurumadziva village headman, Sam Shumba, confirmed the booming charcoal
business in his area, adding that the charcoal dealers came at night with
lorries.
“There is indeed a charcoal rush in this area. forests are under siege from
villagers,” he said.
“The buyers are said to come from Mutare and they come with their lorries
during the night for transactions. It is three months now since the business
started.”
Zviyambe councillor, Godfrey Chitsaka, lamented the destruction of the
Mopane tree, which takes several years to mature.
“It is true that there is charcoal business taking place in this area and
there is indeed massive deforestation, especially along Mhare River,” said
Chitsaka.
“The problem we have here is that people own their pieces of land and they
do whatever they want with them at the expense of the environment. It’s very
difficult to convince people to stop cutting Mopane trees since they own the
land.”
Chitsaka said they had embarked on a massive campaign to educate villagers
on the need to protect the environment.
Efforts to get a comment from Environmental Management Agency (EMA) last
week were fruitless.
Mopane tree is one of Zimbabwe’s hard wood, making it termite resistant. for
this reason, it has long been used for building houses, fences and railway
sleepers.
Outside Africa, Mopane is gaining popularity as a heavy and decorative wood.