Absa Bank Zambia Plc has partnered with the Forestry Department and the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Plc (ZAFFICO) to actualise its ambition of planting one million trees across the country in three years.
The strategic partnership was unveiled yesterday in Lusaka. Through this tripartitep, Absa has committed K400,000 towards reforestation efforts in Zambia, underlining the bank’s dedication to environmental sustainability and climate change remediation.
The bank has given ZAFFICO K250,000 and the Forest Department K150,000 respectively.
Absa Managing Director Mizinga Melu emphasised the bank’s commitment to planting and growing a million trees in Zambia.
Melu said the initiative, which began with original partners, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in the Chongwe and Mumbwa areas, has now been expanded with the inclusion of ZAFFICO and the Forestry Department.
She said the new partnership signifies a collective effort towards achieving more significant environmental restoration.
Melu said by purchasing 62,500 seedlings from ZAFFICO and 30,000 from the Forestry Department for this rainy season alone, Absa is set to facilitate the planting of over 80,000 trees, aiming for a grand total of at least 100,000 trees when combined with ongoing efforts in Chongwe and Mumbwa districts.
“A substantial portion of the seedlings will be planted by ZAFFICO and the Forestry Department, ensuring professional care and growth. Absa also plans to distribute 20 to 30 percent of the seedlings to communities, schools, and chiefdoms, promoting widespread participation in the campaign,” she said.
Melu added that the initiative includes an auditing process to track the planting and growth of the trees, emphasizing accountability and long-term commitment.
She highlighted the critical role of reforestation in combating climate change’s adverse effects, stressing the importance of community involvement.
“The simple act of every Zambian committed to planting a tree every year can have a significant positive impact on our environment,” Melu stated.
Meanwhile, ZAFFICO Managing Director Mundia Mundia, said his company was implementing forest expansion plans in order increase its plantation size by 50,000 hectares in the next five years.
Currently, ZAFFICO, Zambia’s largest exotic forestry outfit is managing 62,187 hectares of pine and eucalyptus plantations spread across the five provinces of Copperbelt, Luapula, Muchinga, Northern and North-Western.
“To achieve this, ZAFFICO is investing US$50 million into forest expansion as well as value addition activities in line with our strategic focus and business diversification,” Mr Mundia said.
He said ZAFFICOS’s focus towards forest expansion is not only a business drive but also a commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change in the country.
And Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu described the partnership between Absa and ZAFFICO as timely in the aftermath of the drought in the country.
Nzovu bemoaned the effects of climate change evidenced by the 2002-2003 floods which damaged crops and infrastructure.
He said Zambia was now dealing with the effects of the prolonged dry spell, which necessitated its declared the prolonged dry spells in the country as a national disaster and emergency by President Hakainde Hichilema.
“What a way to respond, you (Absa) are in an emergency mode,” Nzovu said of Absa’s gesture to escalate the planting of one million trees across the country.
By Benedict Tembo
Kalemba March 14, 2024
