By Lusekero Mhango
Karonga District Forestry Officer, Fanuel Mlinde, says the district is set to plant 1.5 million tree seedlings during this 2025/2026 National Forestry season.
In an interview on Tuesday Mlinde said the initiative is aimed at restoring degraded forest areas, protecting water catchment zones and strengthening community participation in environmental conservation.
He added that the forestry office is in the process of finalizing the management of seedlings and nurseries comprising both exotic and indigenous seedlings.
“As Karonga we have been facing floods each and every year as a result of man-made disasters like deforestation. As such planting trees is the best strategy to avert effects of disasters and climate change being experienced in the district,” he said.
Mlinde has since underscored the importance of community participation in the tree planting exercise saying their involvement is key in monitoring and looking after the trees.
Chairperson for Mwakaboko Area Development Committee (ADC), Edward Chitete, urged authorities to look at alternative source of energy, describing the current trend as encouraging deforestation due to the demand for charcoal in households.
“Deforestation has severely affected our communities in Mwakaboko. Every year, we experience flooding of the Kyungu River due to the cutting down of trees along its banks. This is why we are appealing for alternative sources of energy to stop the unnecessary destruction of trees,” Chitete explained.
Meanwhile, a youth from Mwambuli in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu, Augastin Msowoya, noted that Malawi will continue to struggle to overcome problems emanating from climate change unless everyone takes up the responsibility of planting and loving trees.
He noted that every year millions of trees are planted but the survival rate leaves a lot to be desired due to lack of proper care.
The Malawi national forestry season which runs from December 15 to April 15, 2026, is being implemented under the national theme “Trees and Forests for Community Resilience”.
