The Sunday Mail
Theseus Shambare
The Tobacco Research Board (TRB) has planted more than 26 000 trees and crops countrywide this year under a massive agroforestry project aimed at enhancing ecosystem management and biodiversity sustainability.
Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops.
The programme is in support of the Forestry Commission’s plans to plant 25 million trees this summer.
Officially launching the agroforestry and afforestation project at the Kutsaga farm recently, TRB chief executive officer Dr Frank Magama said: “For the past month, we have dispersed in excess of 13 hectares of gumtree seedlings throughout the provinces of Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central.
“Today, we are investing in 10 hectares of gumtree seedlings, 500 grafted Hass avocado plants, and over 100 orange and lemon plants.
“The agroforestry and afforestation project is also being replicated at other TRB sites at the Banket station and Oriental, Masvingo.
“At the Banket station, a total of 80 grafted Hass avocado, 36 mangoes, 29 jacarandas and a hectare of eucalyptus will be established.
“At Oriental station, we will establish 60 mango trees, 45 guava trees, 22 peach trees, 28 mulberry trees, 102 avocado trees and 45 jacaranda trees.”
To ensure maximum utilisation of the land, he said, TRB will tap into modern agroforestry practices.
“All the spaces in between the fruit and commercial trees being planted during this afforestation project will be used for growing small crops such as peanuts, beans and cow peas on a rotational basis.
“We will continue with the project shortly after the holidays to guarantee that we leave no one and no place behind in our pursuit of sustainable tobacco production in Zimbabwe,” said Dr Magama.
He said the gumtree wood will be sold to tobacco farmers for curing of the golden leaf, while fruits from the fruit trees will contribute to business development and marketing initiatives, including export of Hass avocados.
Tobacco farming is considered the leading driver in deforestation in the country.
To curb this, Government proclaimed Statutory Instrument 116 of 2012, which makes tree planting mandatory for all tobacco growers.
Farmers are required to plant one hectare of trees for every three hectares of tobacco.
TRB public relations and communications officer Mr Tatenda Mugabe said: “It is important to note that Zimbabwe Leaf Tobacco has come on board, and we are reaching out to other tobacco contractors, as this initiative will enhance the sustainability and viability of the tobacco industry in Zimbabwe.”
