By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THE Government is encouraging cooperatives and individual farmers in Mungwi District of Northern Province, to start planting trees on commercial basis.
District Commissioner Bwalya Kaniki said forestry growing was one of the viable ventures farmers and cooperatives should embark on.
“I have taken it upon myself to seriously encourage residents to engage in commercial growing of trees as part of long-term investments.
“You plant 1,000 trees today and after10 years, you will never be the same,” Mr Kaniki said in an interview from Mungwi.
Mr Kaniki said most soft woods take 10 years to mature which would help residents build  capital for them and their children.
He wants to sell the idea to all the residents in the district who are predominantly small scale farmers.
Once the idea is conceived, he expects Mungwi to be one of the richest districts in the Province as well as in the country looking at the increasing current and future demand for timber.
He urged residents to seriously consider the concept of agriculture forestry to secure their future.
“We are seriously considering agriculture forestry because of the lucrative nature of the activity,” Mr Kaniki said.
He would be working with the traditional leaders such as chiefs and village leadership to popularise the concept.
Mr Kaniki said that the administration in the district had started a robust development plan with main emphasis on reviving agriculture.
He said the soil in the area could accommodate any crop hence the need to step up efforts to revive commercial agriculture.