17 Apr 2024

Through history and modern times, forests have been razed for agricultural and economic activities hence a need to adopt realistic and sustainable approaches to conserve them, Ghanzi district council chairperson, Mr Jeremiah Tibi has observed.

Addressing the district’s International Day of Forests commemoration that was held under the theme: Forests and Innovation, New Solutions for a Better World, he said forests had  valuable economic contribution to provide valuable goods and services supporting livelihoods and reduce hunger. 

On that note, Mr Tibi said, it was important to create public awareness on sustainability of forests and ecosystem. He mentioned that forests provide humankind with oxygen, food, shelter and medicines.

“Twenty-five per cent of medicinal drugs are derived from different plants on earth,” he said. He added that they also served as habitation for wildlife that had a significant role in growing the country’s tourism industry.

He implored community members to practice ways protect the health and longevity of forests whilst still profiting from the production and sale of timber and other forest products. He implored communities to plant trees in their localities to combat climate crisis, alleviate rural poverty as well as support human health and leave a sustainable legacy for the future generations.

He disclosed that in order to support the Sustainable Development Goal 15, Ghanzi District had collaborated with Department of Forestry and Range Resources and African Mining Services (AMS) to plant 200 cycad revoluta (sago palm) trees along the Ghanzi-Maun road.

Mr Tibi added that the district was committed to going green by planting fruit trees in schools, promoting backyard tree nurseries as well as establishing community agro-forestry projects as way of diversification.

Kgosi Annah Rankho of Ghanzi decried deforestation that has taken toll in different communities across the district. She encouraged community members to ensure that they practice afforestation to avoid desertification and extreme climatic changes that bring adverse impacts on the ecosystem.

Giving the overview of the day, Ghanzi District Commissioner, Mr Ketumile Ramotadima, said the district was planting trees in the township on monthly basis, adding that AMS funded the project with P40 000 for the 200 cycad revolute trees that he said would definitely improve the look of the township.

He however, decried that in the past, the same project was initiated but their efforts were defeated due to theft and lack of proper care. ENDS