Rondo forest plantation offers 190 rotational jobs 

SOME 190 people are offered employment opportunities in rotation every month at Rondo Forest Plantation, Chief Conservation Officer of the forest Samson Mweta has said.

The forest located in Lindi Region was established in 1952 to ensure sustainable supply of quality forest and bee products, enhancing stable ecosystem and biological diversity.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Mweta said the people from seven villages neighbouring the plantation, are offered jobs every month to weed, pruning, thinning trees as well as controlling forest fire at the plantation.

“The forest provides a wide range of economic and social benefits, including employment opportunities that we provide to some 190 different villagers every month,” he said, adding that the villagers are given direct jobs and work for a month before offering to others.

“We do give them (villagers) the opportunities in rotation to ensure everyone living around the forest benefits from the plantation,” he added.

Apart from that, the management of the plantation creates public awareness on sustainable forest management to villagers contributing to livelihoods income generation.

“We have a programme where we provide trees to the villagers for free for them to start tree plantations for boosting their income generation and livelihoods,” said Mr Mweta.

Mr Mweta said through the establishment of tree nurseries, the management provides 100,000 seedlings free to the farmers to develop and manage their own social forestry.

“We do provide the seedlings in order to ensure the Rondo Forest Plantation is protected for national benefits,” he said.

Rondo Forest Plantation covers 2979.1 hactares and according to Mr Mweta only 1964 hactares have been planted with trees.