Forestry Commission Launches Energy Programme
Date: October 18, 2004
Source: The Herald (Harare)Author: Anon
The Forestry Commission last week launched the Tobacco Wood Energy Programme (TWEP) aimed at providing alternative source of energy to new tobacco farmers during a field day held at Chapepa farm in Karoi.
This development comes at a time when there is rampant destruction of forests by newly resettled farmers who are mostly dependent on woodlands as a source of energy to cure their tobacco.
Speaking during the launch, the Governor and Resident Minister of Mashonaland West Province Mr Nelson Samukange said it was imperative to encourage new tobacco farmers to establish the wood lots to avoid further destruction of forests.
The wood lots mature after five years.
"Presently, most tobacco farmers are mostly dependent on natural woodlands as a source of energy. This programme seeks to avail an alternative wood energy source by promoting the establishments of wood lots by all new farmers growing tobacco," said the Governor.
Since many farmers have taken up to tobacco farming as a result of the land reform programme, there was a shift from using coal which was traditionally used by former large commercial farmers.
The shift, the Governor said, was due to high prices of coal which new farmers could not afford.
He noted that unless concerted measures were put in place to curb further destruction of forests, the trend would continue for sometime as long as new farmers have no alternative.
Mr Samukange pointed out that Zimbabwe was a signatory to international multilateral environment agreements such as Convention of Desertification, thus activities towards bio-diversity loss should be minimal.
The Governor urged all stakeholders to take a leading role if the problem was to be put under control.
"The Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB), apart from seeking markets, should co-ordinate the various stakeholders and advocate for standards and review the production policy.
"The farmers through the Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTAG) and other arms of government like Tobacco Research Board, Forestry Commission, Arex and the Department of Natural Resources should strive for high level of collaboration to promote this programme," he said.
Speaking during the same occasion, the president of ZTGA Mr Julius Ngorima said farmers should start to plant genetically improved exotic trees such as eucalyptus, which grows faster than indigenous ones.
Mr Ngorima expressed concern over veld fires, which are impacting negatively on the forests.
The occasion was attended by representatives from Arex, Department of Environment and Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU).
Forestry Commission, since the inception of agrarian reform in 2000, has put in place measures to conserve the forests as well as to re-green the affected areas.
It also deployed forestry management committees in all provinces, which are conducting awareness campaign to educate people to manage the existing indigenous woodlands for future generation especially in newly resettled areas.