HAI IN DRIVE TO REVIVE COFFEE FARMING

By Arusha Times Correspondent  Hai district will soon embark on reviving coffee farming which has drastically dropped because some farmers found it not paying back due to high  production costs and low produce prices. The district commissioner Mr. Novatus Makunga  said coffee production in the district dropped to only 1,069.9 tonnes  during 2010/2011 compared to 2,568 in 2007/2008. Production for 2008/2009 was 2,106 tonnes but plummeted to 1,150. tonnes  in 2009/2010. "From now on we must revive cultivation of the crop", he emphasized when he addressed the District Consultative Committee (DCC),noting that coffee has been a leading cash crop for small holder farmers in the area for many years in the past. Another strategy to improve agriculture is through promoting irrigation farming. He said   half of the arable land totaling 46,506 hectares are suitable for irrigation but only 17,010 ha are currently under irrigation farming. Areas which are suitable for irrigation farming include Machame Kusini, Weruweru, Masama and Rundugai wards, the DC explained, noting  that greater emphasis will be placed in areas with high potential. On environmental conservation, the district leader decried indiscriminate felling of tress, especially on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro which is the source of rivers and streams feeding  people and their livestock in the region. To address the problem, the regional authorities have suspended issuance of permits for logging in the forest belt on the mountain and that the measure was not taken to frustrate local investors but to protect the mountain. He added that tree felling on the slopes of the mountain has increased in recent years and that it was to blame for the decreasing rains, rising temperatures and dropping of levels of water on the streams and rivers originating there. Although cutting of trees is rampant in villages surrounding the mountain, the situation is much worse along the banks of Kikafu river, one of the largest in the area. Most of the trees are felled for timber. "We have directed that tree planting should be undertaken in every primary school, village and institution to take deliberate efforts to plant trees in their respective localities", he pointed out.

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DC ATOA SIKU KUMI NA NNE KWA WAVAMIZI WA VYANZO VYA MAJI VYA SHIRINJORO

 Uharibifu mkubwa wa ukataji wa kandokando ya mito katika wilaya ya Hai

Ukataji wa mito katika maeneo ya vyanzo vya maji kunakofanywa na watu waliovamia maeneo hayo

Na Richard Mwangulube,Hai

Mkuu wa wilaya ya Hai, Novatus Makunga ametoa muda wa siku kumi na nne kwa watu wote waliovamia vyanzo vya maji katika eneo la Shirinjoro wilayani Hai mkoani Kilimanjaro wawe wameondoka kwa hiari yao wenyewe.

Waandishi wa habari waliotembelea vyanzo hivyo wamekuta uzio mkubwa wa tofali ukiendelea kujengwa katika moja ya vyanzo hivi huku eneo lingine likiwa na nguzo za uzio wa waya

Mkuu huyo wa wilaya ametoa agizo hilo katika mkutano wa kijiji cha Shirinjoro aliohitisha baada ya kutembelea vyanzo vitatu vya maji na kubaini kwamba kuna uvamizi mkubwa wa shughuli za kibinadamu ndani ya maeneo hayo ambayo yanalindwa na  sheria ya mazingira.
Alisema kuwa baada ya muda huo kupita sheria itachukiwa mkondo kwa wote ambao watakaidi kwa makusudi kuondoka katika maeneo hayo ambao yanalindwa kwa mujibu wa sheria ya mazingira.

Vyanzo hivyo ni pamoja na Njoro juu,chemchemu ya Kiladeda na chanzo cha maji cha Kitifu.
Makunga ameeleza kuwa vyanzo hivyo vitatu ni muhimu kwa matumizi ya maji ya wananchi wa wilaya ya Hai pamoja na manispaa ya Moshi na kwamba vinalindwa na sheria ya mazingira na vilishatamkwa katika gazeti la serikali.

Aliwapongeza wananchi kwa kufichua uvamizi wa hivi karibuni wa wananchi wawili ambao walikuwa mbioni kuanza kujenga uzio katika vyanzo hivyo ambavyo alieleza historia inaonyesha vilianza kulindwa na viongozi wa kabla la Kichagga wanaofahamika kama Mangi.

"Ningewashanga sana endapo mngenyamazia uvamizi huu wa vyanzo vya maji ambavyo viliweza kulindwa na wazee wenu na viongozi wa wakati huo yaani Mangi,endeleeni kuvichua kila vitendo vya uharibifu wa mazingira sisi tupo saa ishirini na nne kuwatumikia,"alisema.
 
Aidha mkuu huyo wa wilaya ya Hai aliiagiza halmashauri ya wilaya ya Hai kuhakikisha inaweka mawe yanayoonyesha maeneo yasiyoruhusiwa kufanya shughuli za kibinadamu katika vyanzo hivyo vitatu pamoja na vyanzo vingine vilivyopo katika wilaya hiyo.

Kwa upande wao baadhi ya wananchi waliushtumu uongozi wa kijiji hicho kwa madai ya kuhusika na kuuza maeneo ya vyanzo hivyo vya maji hatua ambayo walilazimu kupeleka malalamiko kwa mkuu wa wilaya aliyeingilia kati na kuzuia ujenzi wa uzio kuzunguka moja ya chanzo hicho.

Hata hivyo baadhi ya wananchi waliomba kupewa muda zaidi kwa madai ya kwamba walikuwa hawafahamu kwamba hivyo ni vyanzo vya maji ambavyo vinalindwa kisheria.

Awali afisa mazingira katika halmashauri ya wilaya ya Hai,Mathew Ntilicha ameueleza mkutano huo kwamba jumla ya watu thelathini na saba wamevamia vyanzo hivyo kwa kujenga ndani ya mita thelathini kutoka pembezoni mwa vyanzo hivyo na wanapashwa kuondoka katika kipindi hicho.

Ameeleza kuwa kuanzia leo wataaanza kupita katika maeneo hayo yote kuweka alama katika nyumba zote ambazo imeingia katika eneo la vyanzo hivyo vya maji.

Ntiliacha ameeleza kuwa vyanzo hivyo vilitambuliwa rasmi kupitia gazeti la serikali mnamo mwaka 2005 na hivyo kulindwa kisheria.