Traditional Authority (T/A) Kapeni of Blantyre has appealed to his subjects to plant trees to avert natural disasters.
Speaking at Chigumula Forest on Friday during a tree-planting exercise, the chief said time has come to embrace change and respond to effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
Kapeni said unlike in the past, nowadays the weather is unpredictable and it is no longer a surprise to have insufficient rains as most areas have no trees.
He said due to wanton cutting down of trees, it is becoming difficult for houses to withstand strong winds; hence, continued reports of severe damages.
“This exercise [tree-planting] does not require much from us. All we need is to ask the forest department to provide us with tree seedlings,” he said.
Apart from protecting houses from being damaged by the stormy winds, Kapeni said trees are also important for rain information and restoration of fertility in the soil.
In his remarks, Sosten Chiotha, regional director of the Leadership for Environment and Development (Lead) Southern and Eastern Africa, explained that the current generation would be doing injustice to future generations if they do not plant trees.
He said trees are among the valuable resources that every country requires.
“This is just one of the planned activities. We intend to plant more trees,” said Chiotha.
President Peter Mutharika launched the National Forestry Season in December 2017 in Neno. n
