Rural Development Partners Registers Record Tree Planting Success in Just Two Years

Rural Development Partners (RDP), working in collaboration with local communities around Njakwa Hills, Mthwalo and Sonjo have in the past two years planted more trees aimed at replenishing the chain of Njakwa hills and other surrounding natural forest reserves, promoting sustainability and environmental conservation.

The success story comes following the provision of trainings on sustainable forest management practices and the involvement of the local communities in the planting and caring of the trees, the local NGO having gone full throttle, revamping community structures called Village Natural Trees Management Committees (VNTMC) with the inclusion of more women and youths

RDP Executive Director, Daniel Nyirenda said the genesis of this narrative emerged through the concerted efforts of RDP, the eco-conscious TSN Groen, bolstered by the benevolent support of Kimon’s charitable pursuits, all converging to spearhead a reforestation campaign.

“This alliance, united by a collective vision of ecological stewardship, heralded a transformative chapter in the region’s environmental narrative providing an excellent example of utilizing locals and expertise to protect and restore natural ecosystems and reforestation which is very crucial in mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable practices. ,” Nyirenda said.

The RDP’s Executive Director also stated that, the project created casual employment opportunities for local community members, further contributing to their economic development.

Overall, RDP’s tree planting project in Mzimba and Rumphi districts has been a shining example of successful rural development efforts that prioritize environmental sustainability and community engagement.

Supported by the Lupaso-RDP Natural Tree Nursery which has for the past years enabled the annual supply of natural tree seedlings to schools, envisioned as guardians of the environment, bearing the potential to staunch the tide of soil erosion and curtail carbon emissions while fostering a sustainable legacy for generations to come.

In his remarks, Group Village Headman (GVH) Kacheche Mhango said through dedication and hard work, RDP has made a positive impact on the livelihoods of both, people and the environment in his areas who manages Nthembazawana Project implementation area which is part of the Njakwa Hills.

GVH Kacheche Mhango then hailed the District Commissioner’s office through the Department of Forest for operationalization of the bylaws that have brought about sanity in the management of the community forest reserves.

“RDP trained us on how best we can take care of the trees, the District Commissioner signed the proposed bylaws which were immediately enforced hence the good news about sustainable forest management practices attached with hefty fines here at Kacheche,” said the chief.

The Assistant Forestry Officer responsible for Bwengu Extension Planning Area (EPA) Geoffrey Simlemba pleaded for the expansion of the RDP interventions to other areas which have not benefited from the project.

Simlemba said it is pleasing to see Njakwa Hills nicely dressed with trees, but pleaded for a close monitoring system in order to achieve 100 percent survival rate for the trees planted in the past two tree planting seasons.

Presiding over the closing ceremony of this years tree planting season, Hans Kasbergen and his wife, Gerrie Kasbergen from a charitable organisation, KIMON of Netherlands, an RDP project implementation partner encouraged the locals to ensure forests are well taken care of for the benefit of the future generations.

RDP receives financial grants from TSN Groen through the charity organization in Netherlands, Kimon through its Corporate social responsibility (CSR), initiatives focusing on managing the natural forest reserves and implementing strategies to mitigate carbon emissions.

With financial support from TSN Groen, an erstwhile diesel-powered haulage company now fervently committed to environmental preservation through the adoption of electric engines, stands as a testament to their corporate social responsibility.