Kasungu District Council forestry officer Charles Lungu has described charcoal production as the leading cause of deforestation in the district.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, he said despite the district planting new trees to replace those cut down, charcoal business remains a threat to forestry conservation.

Said Lungu: “For Kasungu, deforestation is largely caused by two factors. First, this is a tobacco growing district and we know tobacco production requires use of trees.

“However, this is not that worrying because tobacco estates and partners involved in the tobacco industry such as JTI, Tobacco Commission and others have always supported tree-planting efforts to replenish those that are cut.”

Lungu demonstrates how to plant a tree

He said the problem lies with charcoal production.

“Charcoal production is causing massive deforestation. We encourage people to start cooking using either gas or wood stoves that use less firewood and not charcoal,” said Lungu.

He said the district is poised to beat its target of planting 3.5 million trees in the 2022/23 tree-planting season as it has already planted three million trees.

Lungu also encouraged people to start planting bamboos which he said grow fast and are effective in carbon cleaning.

Community member Evers Chitatu from Traditional Authority Chulu said as a district whose majority depends on farming, it was important to conserve forests.

“It is unwise to destroy forests because we need them as they help in rainfall formation as well as prevent soil erosion,” she said.

Chitatu thanked the district council for encouraging people to take care of trees, saying they will be useful in future.

President Lazarus Chakwera launched the National Tree Planting Season on December 23 2022 in Mangochi District with a call to Malawians to embrace alternative sources of energy. 

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