The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) of the Engineers Battalion in Kasungu has embarked on an initiative aimed at planting over 10,000 trees across its military cantonment and surrounding communities.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at Mziza Primary School ground in the area of Senior Chief Njombwa, Commanding Officer of the Engineers Battalion Desmond Sikelo said the programme focuses on strengthening landscape restoration efforts.
He said forests are vital to the MDF in many ways, including training and operational efficiency, adding that they provide critical environmental security against climate-related shocks such as floods.
"Soldiers depend on forests for daily operations, including training, and this prompted the Battalion to actively participate in environmental conservation while enhancing landscape restoration within our premises and surrounding communities," he said.
Sikelo added that the Battalion, in collaboration with the Movement for Environmental Action (MEA), plans to introduce energy-saving stoves, which he said reduce firewood use by up to 75 percent.
"With technical expertise from MEA, the Battalion hopes to become the first military unit to introduce modern energy-saving stoves as the move aligns with its mission to protect the environment," he said.
Meanwhile, MEA Team Leader Mathews Malata commended the MDF for the gesture arguing tree planting, and natural regeneration are crucial components in strengthening landscape restoration efforts in the country.
However, Malata expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of environmental conservation in the country, citing animal grazing as one of the major challenges affecting tree survival rates.
"Annual survival rates of between 50 and 70 per cent indicate that the country is not doing enough. We need to intensify environmental protection guidelines to ensure that our environment is protected, " said Malata.
However, Senior Chief Njombwa said a lack of coordination among stakeholders in forestry conservation is crippling environmental protection efforts.
Senior Chief Njombwa believes intensifying efforts coupled with the enforcement of strong by-laws, is key to protecting the environment, adding that closer collaboration among Forestry, MDF, and traditional leaders is crucial in enforcing regulations that safeguard natural resources.
"We need to collaborate among various stakeholders in the enforcement of natural resources conservation. We should all come up with by-laws at local level that will be enforced by all parties," he said.
The 2025/26 national tree-planting season, themed “Trees and Forests for Community Resilience,” runs from December 15, 2025, to April 15, 2026, and targets at least 41 million trees.
