Protect Forests, Secure Food
By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 — (21-08-2026) -- The Mupapa Environmental and Social Sustainability Initiative (MESSI) has called on Zambians to protect forests, plant more trees, and take collective responsibility for safeguarding the environment, fighting climate change, and securing the country’s food systems, stressing that forest conservation is essential for sustainable agriculture, food security, climate resilience, and the livelihoods of present and future generations.
MESSI Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ruth Chande Ironside, said a healthy environment is fundamental to a healthy economy and national food security.
She highlighted that forests are more than just trees; they support agriculture, provide food, regulate climate, and generate economic opportunities such as honey production.
“Environmental degradation, especially deforestation, undermines Zambia’s capacity to respond to climate change and threatens our food systems,” she said.
Speaking during the commemoration of World Forest Day at Mwembeshi Correctional Facility, Ms. Ironside explained that MESSI has been implementing a tree-planting programme at the facility for over two and a half years.
She said the programme involves inmates in tree planting to help them understand the value of the environment while giving them practical skills they can use in life.
“We are encouraging inmates to appreciate the environment around them. Every time we come, we involve them in planting trees,” she said.
For this year’s commemoration, MESSI donated 100 avocado trees.
Ms. Ironside said these trees will improve nutrition and health for inmates and correctional officers, while contributing to the wider reforestation effort.
She noted that the first orchard established under the programme has grown well, with all trees healthy and thriving, showing the long-term benefits of sustained tree planting.
Ms. Ironside expressed concern over increasing deforestation in Zambia, mainly due to unsustainable charcoal production.
She stressed that cutting down entire forests damages the land, reduces carbon absorption, and worsens climate change.
She urged sustainable practices, such as pruning trees rather than felling them, and warned that rural communities often bear the environmental cost but gain little economic benefit compared to urban traders.
“We need to start sensitising people at the grassroots level about the damage they are doing to their land, to Zambia, and to the world,” she said.
She also appealed to urban residents to preserve trees on their properties instead of clearing land completely before development.
She encouraged people to plant trees to mark birthdays, funerals, or other life events as a way to honour nature.
“Almost every garden should have a tree planted in memory or celebration of life. It’s our way of respecting Mother Nature,” she said.
Meanwhile, Zambia Correctional Service Head of Agroforestry, Francis Kasanga, said deforestation continues to threaten biodiversity, water availability, energy sustainability, and food security.
He said that forests play a key role in soil conservation, water retention, and protecting ecosystems, which are critical for agriculture.
“As we expand farming to support national food supply, it is essential that we do it sustainably to avoid harming the environment and worsening climate change,” he said.
Mr. Kasanga explained that the Correctional Service has introduced mechanised farming in areas such as Nansanga and Muchinga Province, and plans to expand into Eastern Province.
He stressed that this expansion should not come at the cost of forests.
He commended MESSI for its partnership, noting that tree planting and environmental awareness programmes are crucial for building climate resilience and sustaining agriculture.
He also encouraged other stakeholders to join the effort in protecting forests and supporting sustainable land management.
Assistant Superintendent Ticky Wakunguma Sitomuji, Officer in Charge at Mwembeshi Correctional Farm, said tree planting initiatives are not only important for the environment but also for rehabilitating inmates.
“These programmes give inmates skills they can use after release, helping them build productive lives and reducing the risk of reoffending,” she said.
Ms. Sitomuji added that the trees planted at the facility help produce food, improve soil fertility, and prevent erosion, contributing directly to food security.
She said that World Forest Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of trees.
“Protecting forests is not just an environmental responsibility; it is a commitment to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and the well-being of every Zambian,” she said.
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