Maravi

Restructuring forestry department

Restructuring forestry department
By Eric Chisanga
Tuesday July 01, 2008 [04:00]

Mr Zulu’s letter in the Post of 23 June, 2008 calls for comment. There is no doubt indeed that the department is in urgent need of restructuring in order to spearhead the forestry sector's regain of its lost glory. As a practicing forester for nearly 40 years and now a peasant farmer, I have witnessed the department from being voted the best organised institution at independence, not only in the region, but in the whole Commonwealth to an era of its total loss of direction.

Zambia boasts of being fairly well-endowed with about 60 per cent of forests, but in the last 20 years, the loss of this important resource has been rapid, from a mere 10-30,000 hactares to the current 300-800,000 hactares per year through unplanned settlements and agriculture, mining activities, poor exploitation of both the wood and the none-wood forest products, illegal sales and exports of wood and non-wood forest products, etc

This has greatly and negatively impacted on the water flows of our important rivers and lakes, rainfall, soil fertility, fisheries, wildlife and generally the whole range of biodiversity and created instead potential for hunger, earthquakes, drought, storms, hurricanes, HIV/AIDS, many other diseases and disasters so devastating to contemplate, of which experts have on many occasions lamented on and alluded to.

It is not a mere dream that our future generations may be travelling to other countries and visit museums or artificial habitats to see the wonders of the world which actually existed and came from their mother countries if corrective measures are not made promptly in the sustainable management of our natural resources.

The many benefits that forests have provided to the human race such as human civilisation, food, employment, medicines, clean water, fresh air, peace of mind, carbon sink, recreation, scenery and shelter are so diverse and unlimited . etc

In Zambia, the captured contribution of the forestry sector to GDP has averaged at merely 1-3 per cent over a period of 40 years. This could be much more considering that much of the benefits amounting to over 70 per cent have not accrued to nation’s treasury as is the case in many economies that have grown, based on this resource. However, all these benefits that we take for granted are under pressure and threatened unless all stakeholders, guided by the nation’s leaders, do something about this sad situation.

I hope no one will think Mr Zulu was being emotional and ungrateful, but he should instead be regarded as a patriot who wants to see and leave Zambia a better place.

It is in this regard that I have echoed my brother, Zulu’s sentiments that all impending and pending issues to the development of natural resources in general and forests in particular, arising from technical and institutional challenges in our lovely and peace loving country, need to be addressed without further delay. We have only one Zambia, so precious and delicate let’s protect it from all angles.

Labels: FORRESTS

posted by MrK @ 4:51 AM