The Sunday News
Tichafara Bepe, Sunday News Reporter
THE Environmental Management Agency (Ema) has started helping communities monetise vegetation and help rural communities earn a livelihood by combating veld fires through a hay bailing and grass combing project targeting at least 87 000 hectares of the veld.
Last year, the programme raked in $552 000 from 368 001 hay bales harvested by communities across the country. The grass harvesting helps cut down incidents of veld fires as grass is a significant contributor to the biomass found in the veld which fuels the fires.
“The hay bailing project and grass combing projects are done to reduce biomass in an effort to retard veld fires while at the same time deriving monetary value and livelihood enhancement from the veld,” said Mrs Amkela Sidange Ema’s publicity manager.
The project increases livelihood options for rural dwellers while assisting in the management of natural resources as it assists in fire management as well as protecting their property and lives, said Mrs Sidange.
The drought has left many farmers countrywide without enough grass in the pastures to feed their cattle and have been urged by Agritex to buy hay as a means to supplement their stock feed. This is likely to see the harvested hay having a readily available market and allow the communities in the Ema project to cash in on their bales.
Ema has also sensitised communities on fireguard construction, hay bailing projects and other livelihoods projects including rabbit, thatch grass harvesting and bee keeping as measures to reduce biomass ahead of the fire season.
“Ema has done fire risk prediction and currently using the report to assist communities in preparing for the fire season” Mrs Sidange said.
The Agency has been carrying out education and awareness programmes across the country especially in hot spot areas of Mashonaland West, Midlands, Manicaland, Matabeleland North and South as well as Mashonaland East.
About 1,2 million hectares of veld was burnt in 2018 resulting in the loss of property valued at $314 509 while five people were killed by the fires.
@KwaTichbobo
