BCC to slash any crops grown on undesignated land

BULAWAYO mayor Martin Moyo says although his council encourages urban farming for residents to feed themselves, they should desist from stream-bank cultivation because it violates environmental laws.

For more than a decade now, urban cultivation has been the backbone of urban dwellers to solve some of their financial constraints and dietary requirements with the worsening economic situation, but lately they have been encountering challenges with environment management laws.

Moyo yesterday said council would slash any crops grown on undesignated land.

"Planting maize along the river bank is illegal because it destroys the environment. It has resulted in river siltation and the streams are flooding now affecting the city's drainage system," Moyo said.

"However, we encourage urban cultivation because people are dependent on it for food security, but people should plant crops at least 30 metres away from streams to prevent their crops from being slashed," he added.

Although no crops have been slashed to date, Moyo warned residents that the council's environmental management department officers would be destroying all crops planted in undesignated areas, without prior warning.