Aga Khan Foundation starts campaign to plant 1.5 million mangroves

Bagamoyo. In response to climate change and its effects on the world, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has started a campaign to restore nature, aimed at planting 1.5 million mangrove trees along the Indian Ocean coast.

The AKF Tanzania project coordinator, Mr Japhet Wangwe, said the organization also aims to start a micro forest project in 50 schools countrywide.

“Our institution is more focused on poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation due to its negative economic effects among citizens,” he said during an event to plant mangrove trees on the coast of Bagamoyo.

He said AKF is collaborating with the government in executing these initiatives. He added that the Foundation will continue to engage in all other people-centred activities.

“In collaboration with the Tanzania Forestry Agency (TFS), teachers and pupils, inhabitants, and members of the Beach Management Unit (BMU), we have planted 27,000 mangrove trees today,” he said.

“Our focus is to plant more trees in order to realise our goal of planting over 1.5 million trees,” he added.

Mr Ali Chaligha, a forestry officer, said the Bagamoyo mangrove forest reserve is located 100 kilometres from Mapinga at the border of the Coast and Dar es Salaam regions to Saadani National Park, noting that despite illegal tree harvesting mitigation measures, deforestation remains scary

. “Mangrove destruction is reported in the whole 5,636-hectare area. The situation is, however, worse here at Nunge as we heighten stakeholders’ cooperation, enabling us to plant over 150,000 new mangrove trees within a year,” he said.

He noted that the number of planted trees will definitely increase upon receiving AKF support.

The Bagamoyo District environment officer, Ms Neema Mngereza, asserted that protecting the natural environment was everyone’s responsibility.

“Mangroves trees are very important in conserving marine ecology and offsetting carbon emissions, but they are being destroyed for timber, boat manufacturing, and house construction,” she said.

Nunge BMU chairman Mshindo Mzee said mangrove trees can be restored if the government focuses on nature restoration by providing support to social groups that have engaged in reserve protection.

"The government should strengthen patrols and support groups that spend most of their time there. We have no vehicles therefore walking on foot makes it difficult to control criminals;” he said.