RUYIGI January 22nd (ABP) – Ruyigi province (eastern Burundi) joined the other provinces of Burundi in the implementation of the national reforestation project for all the villages not yet covered by trees.
In an interview with the check by Burundi News Agency, the governor of Ruyigi, Elie Bashingwa, who is satisfied with the step already taken by his province in the implementation of that project, remains concerned about the large number of tree seedlings not yet transplanted; he asked the provincial office of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock (BPEAE) to make every effort to succeed in planting those seedlings.
Governor Bashingwa thanks the organizations and institutions that contributed to the development of 86 nurseries throughout his province.
He stated that a total of 1,986,000 tree seedlings have been prepared, including 1,017,000 forested trees and 906,000 agro-forested ones. Among the partners and stakeholders who contributed to the establishment of those nurseries, he cited in particular the PNSADR-IM, PROPAO and PAIOSA projects, the COPED, the police station of the Ruyigi National Police and the Burundian Authority for the Protection of the environment (OBPE), with a nursery of 590,000 plants.
Among the uncovered areas that have been chosen as priorities for reforestation, the governor of Ruyigi cited all two mountain ranges in his province, namely Mpungwe and Birime. He also reported that 181,000 tree seedlings covering 184 hectares have already been planted, and he does not hide his concern about not being able to plant all those plants during community development works. He calls on OBPE to find an adequate strategy to ensure that no tree plant is abandoned because each plant has cost energy, time and money from different stakeholders. He also thanks the people of Ruyigi for abandoning the bush fires that were commonplace in the past. He particularly congratulates the people of Nyabitsinda commune who set up environmental protection committees and encourages them in that noble initiative.