The Coordination Union for Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE) has taken a significant step towards environmental preservation by distributing various agroforestry tree species sourced from nurseries it established within communities around Group Village heads Dokotala and Nkupu in Chiradzulu district writes Precious Chimkande.
This distribution effort aligns with the ongoing national forestry season. CURE, with support from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) small grants project, established these nurseries as part of its two-year initiative to restore the Chiradzulu Forest Reserve while enhancing the resilience of local communities against climate change.
Thanks to IKI’s support, CURE has disseminated over 5,000 tree seedlings of diverse agroforestry species to residents living near the Chiradzulu Forest Reserve.
CURE firmly believes that sustainable environmental stewardship requires empowering and engaging communities in landscape restoration, thereby conserving ecosystems for the long-term benefit of the people.
By receiving these agroforestry tree species, communities not only contribute to environmental conservation as part of the national landscape restoration plan. More importantly, they also enjoy the agricultural benefits these trees bring to their farms.
Residents who have benefited from this initiative express gratitude, noting that it has inspired them to address challenges such as poor crop yields.
Yakobe Joseph of Group Village Head Nkupu remarked, “When heavy rains come, our farming fields are exposed, and soil fertility continues to erode due to loss of tree cover. This initiative is timely, especially in light of recent disaster experiences from cyclones.”
Chiradzulu has witnessed significant deforestation over the years, leading to persistent climate-related shocks like floods, mudslides, and soil degradation.
To counteract this degradation, CURE has undertaken various initiatives to restore the environment, sensitize communities, and empower them to participate in natural resource management and climate mitigation efforts.
