The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has urged charcoal producers countrywide to adhere to set guidelines aimed at ensuring sustainable charcoal production.

The ministry issued the appeal after some harvesters near Outjo in the Otjozondjupa Region chopped down old Mopane trees for charcoal production purposes.

A media statement issued on Wednesday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, said the harvesters have been fined for cutting down seven Mopane trees that were bigger than 18 centimetres in diameter.

“We want to urge charcoal producers to comply with permit conditions and follow the guidelines for charcoal production. People should not always wait to be policed in terms of adherence… We want to believe that in every sector there should be some level of ethics and the charcoal industry has ethics as well,” Muyunda said.

He further noted that in 2021, the ministry launched the charcoal production guidelines and all charcoal harvesters countrywide have been equipped with the guidelines.

“The guidelines guide charcoal producers in terms of what to do and what not to do. We have officials across the country in all regions to enforce the law,” he noted.

Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein addressed the matter on his Twitter account on Monday.

“Old Mopane trees chopped down by charcoal harvesters. It is not complying with the forestry regulations and for sure cannot be what is termed sustainable harvesting. My heart is bleeding to see trees hundreds of years old chopped down for a quick dollar,” Schlettwein said on Twitter.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency