Mufumbwe farmers get trees to mitigate climate change

Famers living in the Kasonso busanga game management area of Mufumbwe district have received seedlings of the musangu and moringa plants for improving soil fertility and ultimately cut on the cost of using chemical fertilizer.

Agricultural Consultative Forum Director Joseph Mbinji said 40 famers in each village action group have received 42,000 musangu and moringa trees as a way of stopping farmers from engaging in poaching, which is practiced mainly to earn a living.

Mr. Mbinji told ZANIS today that the 40 farmers were expected to undergo training on how to care and transplant the agro forest trees from their nurseries into their fields.  

He noted that the effort to encourage farmers to plant agro forest plants was aimed at mitigating challenges of climate change as the trees act as fertilizer by adding nitrogen to soil.

He added that both the musangu and moringa trees can improve the country’s economy by reducing the cost of providing chemical fertilizers to farmers.

The two types of trees produce pods that also act as animal feed and at the same time are used for fire wood.

Mr. Mbinji said the moringa tree was a wonder plant which has medicinal properties hence it was a source of income for farmers as it acts as herbal medicine which can be widely sold around the country.

He said the programme to empower farmers with these two types of trees cost $100,000.

He explained that the programme is a one year pilot project being carried out in partnership with Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), UNDP and the Ministry of Lands.