Mutharika launches 2017/18 tree-planting season: ‘I want Malawi green, everywhere’

President Peter Mutharika on Monday December 18  officially launched the 2017/18 tree planting season at an event that took place at Catholic Primary School ground in the area of Traditional Authority Nthache in the district with a call for stakeholders to play a leading role in environmental conservation.

Mutharika said his government would remain resolved to making Malawi green again as one way of restoring the country’s natural resources, especially forest.

“This is why I am deliberately putting on a green shirt to underscore the point of making Malawi green and ever green like it was the case before we created all the deforestation,” Mutharika added.

In the 2017/2018 tree planting season that is under the theme ‘Restore forests, protect the environment’, over 60 million trees are expected to be planted across the country.

Mutharika stressed on the need for other stakeholders to emulate steps being taken by the private sector  such as Airtel Malawi in making sure that trees are being planted in different parts of the country.

“I would like to commend Airtel for donating K4.5 million towards this year’s planting season. They have also provided 34,000 seedlings which will be planted across the country,” he said.

Mutharika said there  is need for the trees “to be taken care of once planted” as they help hold the soil and avoid other negative implications that occur due to the unnecessary cutting down of trees.

“ I want Malawi green; I want to see green everywhere.”

Speaking earlier, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Aggrey Masi hailed the President for championing the cause of restoring natural resources, particularly forests as demonstrated in his leadership during the launch.

Masi disclosed that at least 60 million seedlings have been targeted to be planted this season nationwide.

“As you all may be aware, this is an annual event whose aim is to emphasize the importance of natural resources and forests in general. 60 million trees have been earmarked to be planted this year alone,” Masi said, adding that Malawi was part of the Global Environmental Campaign to afforest 4.5 million hectares.

At the function the President and the First Lady Gertrude Mutharika planted two mbawa and tangerine trees each.

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