BY ANDREW DLAMINI
MBABANE – The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Eswatini undertook a significant tree-planting initiative at KaNcesi near Pigg’s Peak.
The event was held on 24 November as part of the Green Diplomacy Weeks 2023, focusing on addressing issues of land degradation.
In fact, the initiative started a movement to plant more than 200 trees.
According to European Union in Eswatini, the initiative saw EU Head of Cooperation, Eva-Maria Engdahl, planting trees alongside Programme Officer Giuseppina D’urso.
They were joined by five members of the EU Youth Advisory Board (YAB), led by their chairperson, Busiswa Dlamini. Notably, the campaign also included participation from a representative of the local traditional chief, along with school pupils and teachers from two nearby primary and high schools.
During the event, Engdahl emphasized EU’s commitment to spearheading the global fight against climate change.
In her address to the community, she acknowledged the specific environmental challenges faced by the area.
“I am very pleased to be here today and be able to interact with all of you and to make a small contribution to improve the environment of your community,” said Engdahl.
“I know that this area is dealing with massive soil loss and land subsidence, dongas and soil erosion, the main challenges being water run off on bare soil and loss of vegetation. These factors have contributed to deforestation, land degradation and desertification, which has led to loss of arable land for farming and rearing of livestock and to serious environmental degradation,” Engdahl said.
Subsequent the EU’s initiative, the local community is set to continue the environmental restoration efforts by planting an additional 200 trees. This collaborative effort between the EU and the local community is expected to make a substantial impact in addressing the area’s environmental challenges.
