Trees are life -providing shade, fruits and forage

 

As one drives from Chipinge  to Chiredzi, during a hot summer day,  one is struck by the sparse vegetation in the area. A few trees are dotted in the landscape and both goats and people scramble for shade under these few trees.  The area has a semi arid climate and poor soils which make it difficult for many trees to grow. The demand for firewood, fencing  and thatching poles continues to grow as the area’s population continues to balloon. Recent, cumulative droughts, caused by climate change have worsened the situation.

 It is not easy to grow crops such as maize in these areas due to erratic rains and lengthy dry spells. Farmers in irrigation schemes are more fortunate as they can access water all years round. In order to ensure food security for farmers in the adjacent rain fed areas, farmers grow traditional grains and have also diversified into livestock production which provides much needed protein. The livestock is often sold to get money for school fees as well as buying other household items. The livestock feed on grass but during the dry months they survive on tree forage.

 In order to  restore the vegetation, protect the environment and provide food for both cattle and the community, the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme has recently introduced a nursery programme  in the four provinces of Masvingo, Midlands, Manicaland and Matabeleland South. The programme procured materials for the construction of 48 tree nursery sites. The programme also distributed 16 000 tree seedlings and seeds which include mango, mulberry, papaya, oranges, gumtrees, fidebia albida, leukina and fever tree.

  The seeds distributed were mostly for indigenous and fodder trees.  The trees were distributed to 3200 households with each household receiving 5 seedlings each. Under SIRP, communities are encouraged to grow trees for various reasons including food and nutrition security, provision of fodder for livestock that includes cattle and smallstock. Trees are also used for environmental conservation to protect water sources and irrigation schemes against the risk of gulley formation and flooding. These initiatives build community resilience to climate change.

 To ensure sustainability of the initiative, community tree nurseries were established to promote continuous supply of seedlings and propagation of locally available and demand driven trees.  Training on tree and nursery management was conducted to ensure increased tree survival rates To date nursery construction is at 40 percent.