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Belinda Moyo/ Thandeka Matebesi, Chronicle Reporters
The Rotary Club of Matopos has embarked on a fruit tree planting initiative that is aimed at complementing Government efforts of ensuring food security and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The club planted 40 assorted fruit trees at Ingutsheni Central hospital on Friday and is set to plant more at all Bulawayo hospitals with a target of 1.2 million trees by the end of the year.

Driven by this year’s theme “Be an inspiration” the district governor for the Rotary Clubs (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi) Engineer Hutchson Mthinda said they want to inspire the people to engage in sustainable projects and desist from the dependency syndrome.

“The main idea behind this initiative is to complement the Government on food security issues. Matopos Rotary Club saw a need at Ingutsheni Central Hospital and brought groceries to help, however the food will not sustain them so we also taught and trained the institution to produce food by planting fruit trees,” said Eng Mthinda.“The hospital’s patients are nonpaying whilst they need food so the programme has to do with production of food.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the event the president of the Matopos Rotary Club Mrs Delight Majola-Munenekwa said the programme was a mental awareness campaign meant to encourage sustainance of the environment.

“Rotary International set a goal of planting 1.9 million trees an afforestation initiative aimed at mitigating effects of climate change,” said Mrs Majola-Munenekwa.

”We have partnered with Ingutsheni Hospital and the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe. We are seeking other strategic partners to curb climate change threats in food security issues.”

Increased incidents of natural disasters that include prolonged droughts, unpredictable rainfall patters (shifting seasons) or excess rains have been blamed on climate change.

The phenomenon wreaks havoc on food production and has been linked to deforestation, among other environmental degradation processes.

Experts believe the trend can be mitigated through afforestation and other environmental-safe practices. — @MoyoOlivet\@DephnyThandeka