Card aimed at river monitoring launched in Monze

MONZE – The Lower Kafue River Basin health report card aimed at river monitoring to enhance catchment protection and sustainable resources use has been launched in Monze District with Chief Hamusonde of the Lundwe speaking people pledging total support to the project.Speaking during the launch of the card in his Chiefdom yesterday, His Royal Highness […]

Card aimed at river monitoring launched in Monze
MONZE – The Lower Kafue River Basin health report card aimed at river monitoring to enhance catchment protection and sustainable resources use has been launched in Monze District with Chief Hamusonde of the Lundwe speaking people pledging total support to the project.Speaking during the launch of the card in his Chiefdom yesterday, His Royal Highness Hamusonde said the Basin report card was an important tool that would help to monitor the river systems and help reduce negative environmental impact mainly due to human activities.He explained that his subjects were widely consulted and had an input in the formulation of the card saying this would enhance the successful implementation of the project as it would be community driven.Chief Hamusonde noted that his area has also contributed to the deterioration of the health status of the lower Kafue River Basin through illegal activities such as bad fishing methods, indiscriminate cutting of trees, poor farming methods all of which have negatively affected the health status of the river systems.He pointed out that the launch of the river basin report card would help change people’s mind set to care for the environment through tree planting and enhance sustainable use of resources along the basin.“The launch of the Lower Kafue River Basin Health Report is an important step in our goal to restore the vitality of the River systems through good environmental management and sustainable use of scarce resources in the basin. It also brings to the fore the glaring devastating effects of bad fishing methods, poor agricultural activities, charcoal burning all of which have contributed to the deterioration of the health status of the Kafue,” said Chief Hamusonde.Chief Hamusonde also turned to the government to seriously help the area in fighting bad environmental vices such rampant massive tree cutting that has also immensely contributed to environmental degradation in the area.And government says it was delighted to witness the launch of the health card adding that such interventions would significantly complement its efforts to protect the river basin and ensure sustainable use of the resources.Monze District Commissioner Mrs Munachoongo Muleya who officially launched the card urged the community to take the project seriously as it was aimed at improving their lives and that of their future generation through preserving the Kafue River catchment from which half of the country’s population derive their livelihoods from.The DC thanked the World wide Fund for Nature – Zambia, The University of Maryland, and the Zambia Water Resources Management Authority(WARMA) and other stakeholders for developing the Lower Kafue Basin Report Card and further implored the private sector to join in the fight to restore the Basin.People’s Action Forum (PAF) Coordinator Janet Nyoni said it was gratifying that the community and Chief Hamusonde himself have shown eagerness to participate in the project to restore the Kafue River Basin.“As stakeholders it gives us hope that the community and His royal Highness have welcomed this initiative and are more than willing to support this project and I believe that in few years’ time we shall see a much improved River Basin that would enhance water quality and quantity, ecology, human health and nutrition among other indicators,” said Mrs Nyoni.WWF Representative James Mbewe explained that water quality and quantity were some of the indicators identified that could be used to ascertain the health status of the basin.River Basin Report Card is an assessment and communication product that compares ecological, social, and /or economic information against predefined goals or objectives.The Lower Kafue River Basin is the first of its kind in Zambia and would serve as a baseline to measure change in future in response to management actions, inform policy And planning within the basin. – ZANIS The Sun