BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
Nchima Tea Estate in Thyolo said last week it will distribute free tree seedlings to communities surrounding the estate as one of the mechanisms for improving local forest reserves and mitigating effects of climate change.
The estate’s general manager, Dave Saywood, made the revelation at Namitete Primary School where he presented a donation of four bicycle ambulances to Group Village Headmen Matchuana, Nkolokosa, Phalira and Kabambe in T/A Nchilamwela’s area in the district.
Saywood said his company was concerned with the rate at which forests are being depleted without replacement. He feared forest and environmental degradation may have serious effects on the operations of the estate.
“We’ve a lot of tree seedlings, which we can give out to the communities surrounding our estate. We feel it is everybody’s responsibility to fight the effects of climate change,” he said.
“Anyone from communities surrounding our estate can come and get these free seedlings and plant in their uncultivated pieces of land. If we plant more trees, we will be able to reduce the impacts of climate change,” Saywood added.
Member of Parliament for the area, Kingsley Namakhwa, thanked the estate for the gesture and appealed to other companies operating in the district to emulate.
“This is a very welcome development and I would like to ask my constituents to utilize this opportunity. I also wish to appeal to other estates to take up social responsibility activities in areas of their operations to help in improving the living standards of the people,” said Namakhwa.
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