Water boards challenged to promote afforestation

Water boards in the country have been challenged to take a reading role in afforestation and vegetative cover restoration along river banks.

The call was made by deputy minister of water and sanitation Liana Kakhobwe Chapota on Friday at Malingunde in Lilongwe during a tree planting exercise initiated by Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) and Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) along Kamuzu Dam1.

She said it is imperative for institutions like water boards to encourage communities around their water sources to plant and take care of trees as a way of sustaining the rivers.

“Trees give a good vegetative cover in as far as water resources are concerned and when we also look at the water sustainability, we need trees. So, it is very important to plant and take good care of trees along the rivers,” the minister highlighted.

One of the directors at the Lilongwe Water Board Lingalireni Mihowa said apart from afforestation interventions, the board is also promoting brickettes making for household use and sale as a way of preventing the communities from abusing Dzalanyama Forest.

“We are getting good reports from the community on the use of brickettes. What we want is to reduce deforestation along Lilongwe River from Dzalanyama forest where our catchment area is,” Mihowa said.

The Lilongwe Water Board intends to plant at least four hundred thousand trees this tree planting season.