Save the Environment and People’s Alliance (SEPA) says the lack of service vehicles in the forestry department makes it difficult to curb deforestation in the country.
Mailess Zulu, chief executive officer for SEPA said the forestry department does not have enough officers and vehicles which limits their work.
“Despite the department being important to the nation and the world, it is unfortunate that government does not adequately invest and support it, Ms. Zulu said.
“The service vehicles can be placed in all parts of the country to help monitor and address deforestation cases.”
Ms. Zulu added that at least two vehicles per district could be helpful because most of the cars that are donated by people are usually old and do not run for a long time.
She urged the government and the Ministry of Green Economy to empower the forestry department by buying equipment and vehicles for mobility.
“If providing vehicles can not be done then it will be difficult to run the forestry department,” she alluded.
Meanwhile, Miss Zulu called upon all members of the public to be responsible citizens and exercise planting of trees to fight climate change.
And an Environmentalist Robert Chimamba said that charcoal burning has never been a cause of deforestation because the Miyombo trees that are used for charcoal generate very fast when exposed to sunlight and it usually grows when it hits the ground 20 meters before it starts producing leaves.
Mr. Chimamba advised young people to be critical and not be fooled that deforestation is as a result of charcoal burning but industrial agriculture which is the large-scale intensive production of crops and animals.
“Often times the current farming methods involve the large scale use of chemical fertilizers on crops or routine, harmful use of antibiotics in animals which can negatively affect the environment,” he said.
He added that some parts of the country such as Luangwa in southern province had its land washed away because of industrial agriculture which made the soil unfertile for trees to grow.