`MKUSHI TRUST TO CREATE JOBS’

MKUSHI North Swaka Trust Limited manager Andrew Hunter says the trust will create employment and livelihood programmes in the area.

Mr Hunter said this during stakeholders meeting on conservation and development of North Swaka and Mkushi headwaters forest reserve.

He said the trust would benefit the 0kushi community through protection, development and conservation of the forest reserve.

The community, he said, would also benefit from livelihood programmes that promote community development.

Mr Hunter said the North Swaka Trust would develop a programme to encourage the community to start bee keeping as a sustainable business.

He said the trust would assist with bee-hive training, support and marketing for honey products.

Mr Hunter said the trust would implement conservation farming training and support programmes that aimed at improving farmers’ skills.

He added that agriculture inputs and marketing scheme would be established.

0r Hunter identified tourism and conservation education as areas the community would benefit from.

He said the scheme would trigger infrastructure development adding that the nature of the project needed access to the forest reserve with good roads will be necessary.

Mkushi North Swaka Trust is the project to be spearheaded by Mkushi farm bloc commercial farmer Andrew Moffat in the North Swaka forest reserve and Mkushi headwaters forest reserve for sustainable development.