GOVERNMENT has called on communities to take keen interest in combating climate change through tree planting.
Western Province Minister Kapelwa Mbangweta says the importance of cultivating the culture of planting trees in the community is one of the ways to protect the ecosystem.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mbangweta said this in Mongu on Friday when launching the Western Water and Sewerage Company (WWSC) tree planting exercise targeted at planting more than 5000 trees in four districts.
He said climate mitigation was of paramount importance in communities as it protects water bodies and the forests.
“As Government we are delighted to see partners coming on board in the fight to combat climate change through mitigation,” Mr Mbangweta said.
Mr Mbangweta noted that the initiative being made by partners such as WWSC, Mongu Municipal Council, Forestry Department and World Wide Fund in the mitigation of climate change is important.
WWSC Managing Director, Dr. Mufalo Kabika, in an interview, disclosed that the tree planting exercise is at a cost of 250 thousand Kwacha aimed at planting 5,000 trees in the province.
Dr Kabika said as a water utility company it was paramount to safeguard the water fields both underground and surface water sources in the quest to provide clean and safe water.
He stressed that the tree planting exercise was facilitated by the Small Integrated Township Project which is being implemented in four districts namely Mongu, Kaoma, Sesheke and Senanga.
“You see this is an ongoing exercise mainly executed in four districts, but will be rolled to the remaining 12 districts,” Dr Kabika said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Forest Officer, Mercy Kandulu said in the move to improve forest reserves, the department has engaged communities in managing selected forest areas in the province.
Ms Kandulu pointed out that 27 community forest management areas have been recognised by the department and were working together to plant trees in areas adversely affected by deforestation.
She called on communities to visit the department in order to collaborate in managing their forest and water reserves.
