NATIONAL indigenous trees ambassador Never Bonde has urged traditional leaders to safeguard their areas against deforestation during the current tobacco harvesting season as villagers cut down trees to cure their crop.

He told NewsDay that despite tobacco being the country’s major foreign currency earner, its cure often led to heavy deforestation as most indigenous farmers use firewood.

Bonde urged tobacco farmers to use coal in curing their tobacco instead of firewood, in order to preserve the country’s forests.

“We are encouraging our traditional leaders to report all their subjects who are cutting down trees in their areas to the police, especially this tobacco season,” he said.

The trees ambassador called on the responsible authorities to work together to ensure that farmers cure their tobacco in an environmentally-friendly way.

“The authorities should work together to ensure that the environment is protected. Ways should be devised in all areas that farm tobacco to ensure that when it comes to curing it, the forests will not be destroyed,” he said.

“Penalties for the farmers that cut down trees without authority should be stiff so that it will send the right message across to would-be offenders.”

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