By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, November 11, Mana: Salima district is targeting to plant 4 million trees, which will be spread across all the 18 catchments under the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CSEPWP).

Speaking to Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Monday, District Land Resource Conservation Officer who is also the Desk Officer for CSEPWP, Gift Majawa, said in the meantime participants are establishing tree nurseries after previously working on soil and water conservation interventions.

He said the tree nurseries are spread across in the catchments, and communities take charge watering and providing all necessary tree management interventions so that the trees are in good shape when transplanted to the fields.

“The goal is to establish tree seedlings that will be planted as the rains commences, so that we will recover forest cover and reduce water runoff in all the catchments,” said Majawa.

He said communities are encouraged to follow standard practice of tree seedling management to ensure optimum results, adding that key players especially supervisors underwent trainings on nursery establishment and management.

He said: "The good part of CSEPWP is that whatever interventions are being implemented in the communities, there was a training before taking the intervention was taken to the communities, what we want is to have sustainable and tangible assets that will stand the test of time."

Acting Director of Natural Resources and Environment, who is also Principal Forestry Officer for Salima District, Adam Jason, commended re-afforestation efforts being implemented by CSEPWP, saying the district had lost most of its vegetative cover.

"Forest landscape restorative approach is highly commendable, this project has an initiative where participants are restoring the vegetative cover by replanting and taking care of areas where there are natural regenerants," he said.

Jason said the efforts are complimenting the district’s plans, of increasing vegetative cover, adding that since its inception in 2022 the survival rate of the trees being planted under the project has been impressive.

"Since participants in this programme are paid, their approach to tree planting is more aggressive than in interventions where communities are tasked to plant trees without any incentive, the willingness is minimal," He said.

CSEPWP is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme (SSRLP —Tidzidalire) supported by the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.