Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocation Education and Training Authority(Teveta) has joined the nation in this year’s tree-planting campaign with a call for increased community sensitization on the importance of protecting trees.
Speaking in an interview in Lilongwe on Friday ahead of the organisations national wide tree planting exercise, Teveta executive director Wilson Makulumiza Nkhoma Said the institution intents to plant 2000 trees in each of the country’s region, bringing a total of 6 000.
He said: Communities need to be aware that climate change as a result of various human activities such as wanton cutting down of trees has induced hazards like floods, droughts and soil infertility which have posed a huge threat to livelihood.
”Instead of just planting trees, we would like to ensure that communities are sensitized. We plan to come back to the areas where we planted these trees to check how they are faring and replant where necessary.
Speaking on Saturday after planting 400 trees at Manyamula Community Skills Development Centre in Mzimba, Teveta regional service centre manager for the North, Joseph Chikopa, said trees are important aspect in technical and vocation training since they are part of raw materials.
In his remarks, director of agriculture, environment and natural resources in the district Ezra Mbendera encouraged people in the area to plant more trees observing that as the country’s population is rising, the need for more trees can not be overemphasized.
President Lazarous Chakwera officially launched the 2020/2021 National Tree Planting Season on December 16 2020 under the theme Trees and Forests for Improved Health and Well-being.
Source: The Nation_February 3, 2021_ By Lewis Msasa-Contributor