Alliance One spends K778m on reforestation

Alliance One Tobacco Malawi has spent K778 million to plant 7.3 million tree seedling this year. The exercise, done in collaboration with one of the company’s partners, Imperial Tobacco Group, is being carried out in government plantations, Alliance One commercial farms and on smallholder farms.

On Thursday, during a visit to Chikumbutso Farm in Mchinji District, where Alliance One started planting trees in 2013, Leaf Services Manager, Albert Changaya, said they are proud. “As Alliance One, we are also very committed to addressing climate change and, through our tree planting exercise, we not only create a sustainable reforestation programme, but also address the environmental issues facing the country and the world,” Changaya said. He said the 7,260,720 tree seedlings have been planted on 2,342 hectares. He, however, said, since 2011 about 39 million trees have been planted on 12,107 hectares, with more than 90 percent survival rate. He urged vigilance in reforestation. “May I encourage not only tobacco farmers and tobacco companies but all Malawians to emulate our reforestation programme in order to address the deforestation challenges in Malawi by planting and maintaining our forests and our future,” Changaya said. At Chikumbutso Farm, trees have been planted on 728 hectares since 2013, including 172 hectares this year. More trees were planted on Thursday, with Senior Chief Dambe and local leaders participating in the exercise.

(Source: The Daily Times, Wednesday, January 30, 2019)