Government has partnered with Worldwide Fund for Nature Zambia (WWF) to halt the extinction of plant and animal species in the country.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Jean Kapata says her ministry will incorporate the campaign with existing policies to enhance protection of natural resources.
Ms Kapata was speaking during the launch of the New Deal for Nature and People campaign in Lusaka today.
Ms Kapata explains that she will soon seek cabinet approval of about 2.5 to three million hectares of land in the country to be put under restoration.
“It is sad that we are losing vital plants and animals. For example the country has 20,000 Kafue black Lechwe compared to 250,000 Lechwe the country had in the 1930s and we need to protect our nature together for posterity to benefit,” she stressed.
She stated that the country has lost plant and animal species that are key to the country’s social and economic growth.
Ms Kapata disclosed that her ministry will soon develop a policy that will swiftly bring the forest restoration activities to fruition.
And WWF Zambia Country Director, Nachilala Nkombo expressed satisfaction that the campaign will help address the rising levels of deforestation and land degradation in the country.
“We should all draw lessons from the drought that hit Southern Province the other year by stopping tree cutting and seriously embark on restoration activities countrywide that was real signal to climate change,” she stressed.
She reaffirmed her organization’s commitment to working with government in the preservation of plant and animal species.
Meanwhile, Chief Musungwa of Itezhi Tezhi district and Chieftainess Muwezwa of Namwala district pledged their commitment to the protection of nature in their respective chiefdoms.
The duo said they have initiated deliberate programmes to sensitize subjects about animal and plant preservation.
The New Deal for Nature and People campaign that is part of the global efforts to curtail deforestation and land degradation, will be rolled out countrywide to enhance protection of nature.
Kkkkk! Can’t believe it really!! It’s like putting a burglar to guard armed robbers in remand!
The Mukula Queen now protecting the same forests she is logging from!
Let us be serious. There will be no Mukula after August 2021 and China will start exporting it to Zambia instead!
If I was not a child of God, I would have insulted this minister. She has land in a de-gazette forest. So do other PF MPs and UPND MPs. Let me stop here.
The person responsible for deforestation of all mukula trees in zambia is campaigning against deforestation. What a joke!!!
@ Chilyata on the spot. Sending a thief to guard Jewellery. Are there Souls in these Ministers. They have plundered the economy as though the World is coming to an end tomorrow.
I swear you can not make this up.
The person that has been in charge of selling our mukula trees now says she wants to protect trees. Really?
Where did these PF thieves come from?
Do they really think citizens are thick?
Baletutumfya aba ba koswe na ba mwankole?
No shame at all.
That’s my mother for me. Great development. Ba upnd continue gnashing your teeth
You need to ban export of indegious timber exports ,
most importnatly together with introducing an environmental awareness subject at primary school all way to early secondary school … …..
A environmental awareness subject will teach the people garbage disposal , water and forest preservation , natural resource importance……..teach our people to be patriotic and look after our country like the Chinese do….
Charcoal burner cannot be a forest ranger. On its own, this is bound to fail because we hv people living in a money economy without skills to be productive farmers or compete for other non-rural work. How are they expected to survive? It’s of course by poaching game or cutting dwn trees or doing drugs.
ZAMBIA IS BEYOND HELP
AS BAD AS DEFORESTATION IS THE UNCUBED CORRUPTION IN EVERY GOV DEPARTMENT
ONE CANNOT GET ANYTHING DONE EXCEPT WITH
LANDS = FAST TRACK
RTSA = LUNCH MONEY
ZRA = LETS SEE WHAT WE CAN DO
NAPSA= WHAT PENALITIES
IMMIGRATION = LET’S TALK
GOD HELP THIS NATION
ZAMBIA IS BEYOND HELP
AS BAD AS DEFORESTATION IS THE UNCURBED CORRUPTION IN EVERY GOV DEPARTMENT
ONE CANNOT GET ANYTHING DONE EXCEPT WITH
LANDS = FAST TRACK
RTSA = LUNCH MONEY
ZRA = LETS SEE WHAT WE CAN DO
NAPSA= WHAT PENALITIES
IMMIGRATION = LET’S TALK
GOD HELP THIS NATION
Really laughable …its like the lions inviting all the herbivores in the kingdom to a big feast … all Mukula trees leaving the country has this corrupt woman’s ministerial rubber stamp, its a bit to late. If you were serious about deforestation you would have followed up on the Mukula ceased in Malaysia but you don’t have the stomach for it as you the selfsame thieves chopping down trees.
The call is excellent, however perhaps it may be feasible once load shedding is rectified as charcoal remains the number one alternative source of energy followed by gas. Otherwise, your call Honourable Minister makes perfect sense.
“It is sad that we are losing vital plants and animals. For example the country has 20,000 Kafue black Lechwe compared to 250,000 Lechwe the country had in the 1930s and we need to protect our nature together for posterity to benefit,” she stressed.
LOL, when Chitotela is selling the lechwes in broad daylight.