The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Post Correspondent—
A TOTAL of 300 villagers in Mutare North received training in community environmental protection and management from Environmental Management Agency.The 300 villagers were trained in wetland management, gulley reclamation, bee keeping, biogas energy, woodlot management consolidated garden, hay bailing, thatch grass projects, broom grass combing and non-timber forest based produce access and beneficiation.
They were also trained in the general cycle on projects planning and management.
The trainers were trained at different centres which include, Bezel Bridge, Nyaguni, Chinota Clinic and Dora Clinic.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Odzi Country Club last week, Senator Judith Mawire, said communities should embrace climate smart agriculture.
She urged them to undertake conservation farming, drip irrigation, perma-culture as well as growing small grains which are drought resistant.
She urged the trained villagers to apply the new acquired skills to protect the environment.
“A holistic approach to environment protection is the cure to the problem of siltation and deforestation, while enhancing food and nutrition security in light of the current drought situation,” she said.
Sen Mawire also urged the local leadership and resource people to take advantage of the trained trainers to ensure that there was a boom in projects in Mutare North.
“Let us make tree planting a community ritual because like water, trees are life and without them there is no survival to talk about. Everyone requires at least eight trees in our lifetime to survive as trees provide oxygen for us while absorbing toxins and carbon dioxide we breathe out.
“It is prudent that the nation join hands in spreading the message of environmental protection and management for efforts to protect the environment to be effective,” said Sen Mawire.
EMA donated 500 quail birds to the trainers so that they could start their own income generating projects.
