News / Local
Chiredzi accounts for 70% of Masvingo's veld fires
12 Jun 2016 at 07:48hrs | Views
Chiredzi District has accounted for 70 percent of Masvingo Province's total land gutted by veld fires last year, Environmental Management Agency provincial Manager Robson Mavhondo has said.
Masvingo Mirror reported that Mavhondo said this at Magumire Primary School in Chiredzi when he launched the veld fire week.
He urged sugarcane farmers to construct fire guards around their properties as well as avoid starting unnecessary fires.
"It is not just a coincidence that we brought this provincial launch to Chiredzi district but this is because Chiredzi has the highest number of veld fires recorded in 2015. Out of the 75 000 hectares that were burnt in 2015, 50 000 hectares were in Chiredzi thereby recording about 70% of the whole province.
"Most of the veld fires were caused by Mkwasine sugarcane farmers when they burnt grass to avoid cattle from grazing in their fields. I however want to warn you against such practice of burning grass without the permission of EMA as this attracts three years imprisonment.
"We have scheduled this event at Magumire Primary School because this ward recorded the highest number of veld fires last year," said Mavhondo
One of the sugarcane farmers who talked to The Mirror said they were quite aware of the disaster they caused last year but their aim was to prevent livestock from invading their ripe sugar cane fields.
Masvingo Mirror reported that Mavhondo said this at Magumire Primary School in Chiredzi when he launched the veld fire week.
He urged sugarcane farmers to construct fire guards around their properties as well as avoid starting unnecessary fires.
"It is not just a coincidence that we brought this provincial launch to Chiredzi district but this is because Chiredzi has the highest number of veld fires recorded in 2015. Out of the 75 000 hectares that were burnt in 2015, 50 000 hectares were in Chiredzi thereby recording about 70% of the whole province.
"Most of the veld fires were caused by Mkwasine sugarcane farmers when they burnt grass to avoid cattle from grazing in their fields. I however want to warn you against such practice of burning grass without the permission of EMA as this attracts three years imprisonment.
"We have scheduled this event at Magumire Primary School because this ward recorded the highest number of veld fires last year," said Mavhondo
One of the sugarcane farmers who talked to The Mirror said they were quite aware of the disaster they caused last year but their aim was to prevent livestock from invading their ripe sugar cane fields.
Source - Masvingo Mirror
