Story by Providence Maraneli
ADOPTION of conservation methods by communities in the fight against climate change took centre stage when Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in marking International Day of Forests at Mlomwe village in Bulilima.
The people of Mlomwe in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South, have become a shining example of how communities can make use of conservation methods to sustain livelihoods.
One of them is Gogo Judith Ncube, who, together with nine other women, established Vusanani Cooperative, a conservation group making use of marula fruit to make a variety of products.
She says the project has transformed her life.
“We take marula nuts and use this machine to make oils, and it has transformed our lives. We have actually made a lot of investment with money coming from this project.”
“We are getting support from a lot of development partners, which has made our project viable,” Secretary for Vusanani Cooperative, Pritchard Sibanda said.
Stakeholders who attended International Day of Forests commemorations concurred that adoption of conservation methods by community members is critical in the fight against climate change.
”These investments are not only environmental, ladies and gentlemen, but they are economic. A strong bio-economy built on renewable forest resources creates green jobs, supports value addition, and promotes climate-resilient livelihoods. When we manage forests sustainably, we create pathways for long-term rural development. A thriving forest-based bioeconomy positions Zimbabwe as a regional leader in climate-smart growth and sustainable value chains,” FAO, National coordinator, Maxwell Phiri noted.
“As a commission, we are really impressed by how the community is making use of trees to earn a living in a sustainable way, and we need to continue supporting these initiatives,” Forestry Commission-Board Chairperson, Ambassador Mahomed Jassat stated.
Government is on a drive to ensure communities restore and sustainably make use of natural resources.
“This day is very critical in the world; we need to continue preserving our forests so that future generations can also benefit from them . As we commemorate this day, let us all renew our commitment to protect our forests. Let us strengthen community forestry initiatives, promote tree planting, prevent destructive practices such as uncontrolled fires and illegal logging, and support sustainable forest-based enterprises,” Ambassador Tedious Chifamba added.
The 2026 International Day of Forests commemorations are running under the theme, “Forests and Economies,”.
