‘Prioritise conservation, restoration of wetlands’

THE First Lady Cde Auxilia Mnangagwa has said the conservation and restoration of wetlands must be prioritised in the country.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Owen Ncube, at an event to commemorate World Wetlands Day at Driefontein Grasslands in Chirumhanzu yesterday, the First Lady said wetlands in urban areas were being threatened by illegal housing projects and informal agriculture.

She said people must know that all developments on wetlands are unlawful.

“Every year on 2 February we celebrate World Wetlands Day to raise awareness about the important role of wetlands for people and the planet. This year’s theme ‘Wetlands for a sustainable urban future’ highlights the important role of wetlands for sustainable urbanisation,” she said.

“Police and other law enforcement agencies must take swift and severe action against land barons who destroy our wetlands.”

Cde Mnangagwa said Driefontein Grasslands are rich in birds and other biodiversity.

She said three globally threatened bird species namely the Wattled Crane, Grey Crowned Crane and Secretary Bird are found in the area. Driefontein Grasslands is the key breeding and foraging area for cranes, supporting more than half of the total crane population found in the country.

In her address during the commemorations, the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri urged farmers who rely on rain-fed agriculture to consider growing small grains as some parts of the country were receiving low rainfall.

She said in January, the country was expected to receive 200mm of rainfall but only received between 14mm and 22mm.

“I urge farmers who rely on rainfall for their crops to consider small grains. We were expecting this January to receive 200mm of rainfall but some areas got 14mm while others got 22mm,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.

She said the country has enough food.

“President Mnangagwa has said no one will starve. We have more than 1,4million tonnes of grain and that includes small grains which can feed the nation. The grain at Grain Marketing Board is going to feed the nation,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.

She commended the Government for coming up with Command Agriculture.

“So we have to thank President Mnangagwa who spearheaded this Command Agriculture programme last year. Now we have grain to feed the nation,” she said.

Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government was going to drill at least four boreholes per constituency across the country to provide people with safe drinking water.