The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, has called on environmental law enforcers to scale up measures to curb land degradation activities in the country in order to reduce the rate of desertification.
In 1994 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 17 June as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought in order to promote public awareness on land integrity and to implement the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Over the years this day was known as the World Day to Combat Desertification but starting this year it is now being referred to as World Desertification and Drought Day.
In a statement to mark the day, Minister Ndlovu said human-induced drivers of land degradation would have a far-reaching impact on the environment if not combated.
“Desertification is a very serious environmental challenge that needs our attention. Simply defined, desertification is a gradual process of soil productivity loss and the thinning out of the vegetative cover as a result of human activities and climatic variations such as prolonged droughts and floods.
“Human-induced drivers of land degradation here in Zimbabwe include streambank cultivation, overgrazing, veld fires, brick moulding, illegal mining activities, deforestation among others. I urge Ema and other law enforcers to deal with these decisively so that we uphold sustainable land management,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu said desertification and drought could be effectively tackled through integrated policies and interventions, strengthened community participation and co-operation at all levels.
He said land degradation could be neutralised through nature based problem-solving, strong community involvement and co-operation at all levels.
Minister Ndlovu said the World Desertification and Drought Day was being commemorated under the theme “Food, Feed, Fibre” while the country is commemorating the day under the banner “Food, Feed, Fibre — Towards Sustainable Production and Consumption.”
@DubeMatutu
