UTM Tree planting exercise: ‘Environment crucial for Malawi’s transformation’
Malawi’s dream of attaining meaningful socio-economic transformation cannot materialise unless the citizenry begin to take positive interest in conserving the environment, UTM party founding member Richard Makondi has said.
Makondi made the remarks in Mpemba Monday when he led a tree-planting exercise in the area.
He said rapid environmental degradation over the past several years has direct bearing on most socio-economic woes that the country is currently facing.
“This place (Mpemba hill) used to be all green not so long ago. Now look at this bare space…women walk long distances to fetch firewood, crop production is poor due to soil erosion, the water table is almost gone,” Makondi mourned.
The aspiring Blantyre South West legislator said the UTM is convinced that a coordinated reforestation drive across the country is a critical component to the party’s transformation agenda.
“We cannot talk about ending the current energy crisis if we don’t plant and care for trees. We cannot increase agricultural production and various other sectors in this current situation,” Makondi argued.
In his remarks, group village head Duncan commended Makondi for showing interest to make the area green again.
The traditional leader pledged to mobilise and encourage his subjects to look after the trees so that the area reclaims its past vegitative cover.
During the exercise, scores of Blantyre South West constituents joined Makondi and a team of Kuwala Youth Blantyre Chapter in planting over 1,000 indigenous trees.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
The growth rate of maize plants and tree seedlings is not the same, the maize being faster growers. This means that the maize will outgrow the tree seedlings and therefore will be taller and receive all the necessary sunlight for growth. The tree seedlings are still too small to prevent sunlight reaching the maize plant and this system can be used for two to three years.
What about the deforestation of Thyolo Mountain and Kaning’ina Forest? Those places were covered in trees and the latter was home to several wild species of animals. Until people have an alternative source of fuel to wood and charcoal trees will always be at risk. Isn’t it time those in power promoted solar and wind energy?
Kkkk Guys do you plant trees in maize garden??? Do you want to kill someone maize or what exactly? Hahaha!!
What’s the problem of planting trees in a maize garden…a patiliki… Have learnt about agroforestry your self?.. This is what we call long term soil conserving methods osati zomwe mukunama apazi…bravo people keep it up plant more trees this is what we are advocating in the fields
Well done productive youths, don’t waste time painting your bodies blue, orange, or carrying machetes and being used as instruments of fear, UTM for productivity, UTM for halting climate change and soil degradation UTM moto buuuuuuuu, I love it
Cadets listen! Take your seedlings, go to the open land out there and plant them at once! Youthful energy is used that way . Not barking like a dog or beating people around the way you have been doing.
Just go to school again and learn how plants grow. That knowledge is supposed to be used in real life. Wamvetsa?
Why can’t you demonstrate to us that you are more knowledgeable with forestry and Plant Biology by doing the needful – Organsing your own tree planting session as encouraged by HE. Discrediting other people’s efforts will take you nowhere. You are judged by what they build not by what you destroy.
APM already advised Malawians to do this and planted a tree himself, not in a maize garden (because maize needs sunlight to grow), but at an open ground where trees are needed most.
Advise and Action are direct opposites. 💪 Now if maize outgrows the trees where’s the problem? Who said trees need so much light to grow? Anthu Ena anangobadwa naysayers olo pansipo pamtima akudziwa Kuti mzanga apa NDE waitha atsutsa basi Koma kanapanga mbuyao nde kukuwakokhako!
Planting trees in a maize garden! Did you do Biology at school? Maize needs sunlight to grow.
It’s called Agriculture Sir! Kutsutsa chomwe sukudziwa nthawizina umaonesa Kuti sudziwa Kuti sudziwa
Well done comrades , you are indeed pace setters
Thumbs up