Communities in Traditional Authority Mbenje in Nsanje have planted 650 mangoes this tree planting season which will be a source of food and generate income.
Lead farmer Lennock Mendulo said people in the area of Senior Group Village Head Mnembe have decided to plant mango trees rather than the neem trees.
He said the fruit trees will be a source of money and it will discourage people from cutting down trees for charcoal burning.
Mendulo told ProjectM that mangoes will provide nutritious food to the bodies of the people.
“We will have cooperatives where the locals will be selling mangoes in large quantities at one point; hence, making huge profits,” he said.
Assistant Forestry Officer (AFO) at Magoti Extension Planning Area (EPA) Andrew Bazilio said during the 2023/24 tree planting season the EPA has planted 278,000 trees.
He said during this tree planting period people have planted 650 mango trees in their localities.
Bazilio said the communities have welcomed the fruit trees planting initiative saying most people have planted three trees at the household.
“The people in the communities plan to have cooperatives for them to have an access to an established market for them to sell their mangoes,” he said.
According to Bazilio, the locals also planted bamboo during this tree planting period along the river banks.
“It is very pleasing to note that of the planted bamboo over 70% have survived,” he said.
Senior Group Village Head Mnembe hailed the Department of Forestry for bringing the idea of planting mangoes in his area.
He said if this initiative had started some years ago people would have planted many mango trees.
