NGO resucsitates environmental centre
NGOresucsitates environmental centre
25 February 2006
published by www.zimbabwechronicle.com
From Nyasha Mtamangira in Fort Rixon
A Non-GovernmentalOrganisation, Community Environmental Awareness and Development Trust hasresuscitated an environmental centre at Fort Rixon in Insiza district, which hadbeen lying idle for the past six years.
The centre was abandoned bywhite commercial farmers in the area at the height of the land reform in 2000.
Community EnvironmentalAwareness and Development Trust resuscitated the centre with the assistance ofthe Fort Rixon community.
The environmental centreserves as a resource centre for the community on environmental issues.
Officially opening thecentre, the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Cde Andrew Langa, saidit was important for communities throughout the country to conserve theenvironment as people depended on natural resources for their livelihood.
Trees are also importantin reducing soil erosion and in improving soil structure and fertility, saidCde Langa, who is also the Member of Parliament for Insiza.
In this region, farmersrely on cattle ranching. For the success of these farming activities, vegetationand water are of paramount importance.
Human activities such asoverstocking, illegal gold panning, indiscriminate cutting of trees have overthe years reduced the capacity of our life support system.
Cde Langa expressed concernover veld fires which he said were dangerous to the people and the environment.
Fort Rixon last yearlost seven children, twenty head of cattle and large tracts of land to a veldfire, he said.
The Minister said peopleshould be equipped with the necessary skills to appreciate the importance of theenvironment.
