CIBITOKE August 5th (ABP) – An exchange workshop on the content of simple management plans (PSG) and tripartite co-management agreements of afforestation, extended to all the partners involved in the management of this forest heritage, was organized on Tuesday August 3 at the headquarters of Cibitoke province (north-west of Burundi) by PAIOSA (Institutional and operational support program for the agricultural sector), as part of the implementation of watershed protection activities in upstream of developed swamps.
That activity was part of the establishment of afforestation co-managed with the riparian people grouped into forest management groups (GGF) for their sustainable management, a check by ABP revealed. Those woodlots are located in the communes of Mabayi, Mugina, Murwi and Rugombo.
Indeed, the first presentation made by Mr. Fidèle Habonimana, a consultant of PAIOSA, focused on the content of the PSG, where he spoke of the numbers of those woodlots, commune by commune, with the expected price if they were cut down for the carbonization in 2027.
An area of afforestation in Mabayi commune is estimated at 99 hectares, which contains 56,227 plants. In Mugina commune, the afforestation area is 195 hectares with 150,389 plants. In Murwi commune, afforestation covers 80 hectares, and total 75,000 plants, while in Rugombo commune, the planted area is 72 hectares, with plants numbered at 55,400, according to Mr. Habonimana.
As for the monetary value if those woodlots are mature in 2027, the cost will be 305,362,253 BIF for the Mabayi commune, 1,020,928,400 BIF for Mugina commune, 499,706,743 BIF for Murwi, and 376,149,312 BIF for Rugombo, according to the same source.
To achieve this, it was reported that two major constraints must be mastered, namely bush fires and attacks by residents on those woodlands. Thus, it is necessary that the management comes not only to the forest management groups, but it is also necessary that the administration involves the people.
The participants specified that for the authorization of cutting, it is necessary to respect the procedures.
The second presentation dealt with the protocol of tripartite agreements for the management of afforestation. Discussions took place on the two presentations, before the latter was approved by the participants.