Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Launches Tree Planting Campaign
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security in collaboration with Sierra School of Technologies launched the first Environmental Online Tree Planting Campaign in Sierra Leone on 10th of June, 2016. Chaired by Musa Ansumana Soko, CEO of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Network (WASH-Net), the event was graced by senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security including the Deputy Minister (1), Principals from respective secondary schools, teachers and pupils. (Photo: Figure Musa Ansumana Soko (left), Hon. Marie Jalloh (immediate right) and the Director of Forestry (far right))
Attended by over ten schools in Freetown, the ENO Tree Planting Campaign according to the National Coordinator, Mr. Elongima Bundy, aims at Empowering schools and communities towards environmental themes through activities; Add global awareness and internationality; Educate for active citizenship; Get schools from developing countries as active participants and Make a change together.
Speaker after speaker, in her keynote address, the Hon. Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Marie Jalloh intimated that in addressing the urgent environmental issues, there is a widespread recognition of the need for integrated approaches to governing this important sector. Governance therefore is a broad term that includes institutions, organizations, policies and practices which shape and manage water resources, including the delivery of water services for diverse populations and industries. Given the breadth of the challenges and the inherent role of many organizations and stakeholders, modes of cooperation and coordination have been widely identified as being essential for improvement of outcomes. In particular, the effectiveness of alignment and co-ordination between government agencies, the corporate sector and civil society, and the role of leadership in enhancing collaboration across these sectors, has been emphasized in many research studies.
In her statement, the Deputy Ministry alluded to the current water shortage across the country due to of the current and growing environmental inadequacies and called on sector agencies to reposition themselves for robust actions that will save the planet and people.
Since the global launch in 2000, over 10,0000 schools in 157 countries have joined ENO and made concrete deeds for the environment like planted trees. In this vein, SiSTec (Sierra Schools of Technology) is working in partnership with ENO Programme Association based in Finland by promoting environment for development in both national and International school level. It is a non-profit local NGO that provides free technological classes and provides Internet Classes for young people in schools. It was established 2007 by patriotic Sierra Leoneans who had studied computer Science and Telecommunication.
The Director of Forestry in his statement further provided insights as to why pupils present should explore Forestry and Agriculture as a viable career path; stating that the need for students to practicalize knowledge gained in the classrooms can be best articulated in the field either at the policy or service delivery level.
“If the Sierra Leone is to make a transition to a greener society and avoid the environmental, social and economic impacts of unchecked climate change, all sectors of society must be mobilized.
For too long the debate on what to do about climate change has been confined to the political and scientific arenas. Many ordinary people have lacked a tangible way of expressing their concerns and an avenue for national and local action…” Musa Ansumana Soko stated.
The program was climaxed with a demonstration of the tree planting exercise in the St. Edwards School Compound at Kingtom.
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