Over 6000 fruit trees planted in Isles last year

ZANZIBAR: THE government in collaboration with various stakeholders has embarked on an ambitious fruit tree planting campaign, which saw 6,454 trees planted in 2023, the House of Representatives was told here yesterday.

Acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock Hamza Hassan Juma told the house that the government is as well executing its 10- year programme to restore greenish through the planting of various trees, including indigenous varieties.

He admitted the problem of the indiscriminate felling of fruit trees for furniture and the development of human settlements, saying the government is determined to conduct patrols and control the environmental degradation in the country.

Minister Hamza who doubles as Minister of State, Second Vice-President’s Office, Policy, Coordination and House of Representatives was answering a question by Mwanakwerekwe Representative Ameir Abdalla Ameir who wanted to know the government strategies to curb indiscriminate cutting of fruit trees.

The lawmaker decried the problem, which he described as serious, arguing that if left to continue unabated, Zanzibar will shortly experience an acute shortage of fruits for domestic consumption.

The minister implored the islanders to refrain from unnecessary tree cutting but also develop the habit of planting fruit and forest trees for their personal uses and environmental wellbeing