Member of Parliament (MP) for Thyolo Thava Mary Thom Navicha has urged her constituents and Malawians to plant more trees if the country is to win the battle against climate change.
She was speaking on Tuesday January 25, 2022 at the launch of this year’s Tree Planting exercise at Mtambanyama Primary School in her constituency and Senior Chief Khwethemule’area where she was the guest of honour.
The theme of this year’s event was:, “Healthy Trees, Forests, Economy”.
The legislator emphasised that apart from medicines and shelter, trees are also extremely vital for sustainability of the environment.
“Trees make the world a best place through their ability to neat and clean air and release oxygen into the atmosphere,” she said, adding that the planet is grappling with the issue of the climate change, that brings about flooding and drought therefore it was imperative that this generation must take a leading role in ‘restoring the environmental dignity to its past glory”.
Navicha also sounded an SOS with the Department of Disaster and Management in the Office of President urging them to respond to the flooding problems that has been caused by Cyclone Ana.
Navicha said among other things the cyclone has caused disruption of lives, and the destruction of property and infrastructure.
“I would like to ask government and our development partners to come to our rescue as a matter of urgency. We are in a sombre mood here in my area as many people have been displaced; livestock have been swept away and maize gardens submerged due to excessive flooding,” Navicha said.
Earlier, the District Commissioner for Thyolo Douglas Moffat asked the people of Thyolo to take afforestation and reforestation as being central to providing employment and eradicating hunger.
He said these are also key to improving the economic status of smallholder farmers and the improvement of women status through their access to quality nutrition and overall food security, among others.
Both Navicha and Moffat lauded the Self Help Africa, Eastern Produce Malawi, and Lujeri Tea Estate for their financial and technical support towards the tree planting exercise. They also provided trees for the exercise.
Thava Constituency is expected to plant over 250,000 trees this year.
Among the people who graced the launching ceremony were Senior Chief Khwethemule, Council Chair Cresco Likwezembe, school learners and political leaders.
