Inhabitants of the small village of Mukuru in Tiko subdivision have created a “Save Mangrove Mushroom Farmers Group” as a measure to curb the irrational exploitation of the Mangrove trees in their locality.
This took place on 4th November 2015 on the heels of an “Operation Save Mangrove Trees Campaign” and the farming of mushroom training workshop as an alternative to fish dependency in the area.
The mangrove tree campaign and the mushroom farming workshop were conducted by the civil society organisation AFRICAphonie with subsidy from Alert fonds voor JONGEREN activiteiten, Netherlands.
Speaking at the two-prong activity, the Project Officer and Gender Equality Adviser for AFRICAphonie Ms Sheila Ekukole advised the population led by their traditional chief to save the mangrove trees as experiences in the neighbouring villages showed the phenomenon of fish scarcity as a result of the massive depletion of mangroves. It was, she said the first part of a sensitisation campaign that hopefully will be carried out in other mangrove areas. The mangrove sensitisation campaign that was done by Shey Benjy Serkfem dwelt on raising awareness on conserving mangrove trees and even domesticating their growth.
It should be recalled that mangrove trees are being used as fuel wood, smoking of fish and commercial sale. The mushroom farming training workshop was conducted by Mr Mesape Emeh and most of the women in Mukuru appreciated the new lesson to the point that they subscribed to starting their mushroom farms.
The campaign and workshop ended with the creation of “Save Mangrove Mushroom Farmers Group” and a round the village march with banners, flyers and placards by youths aimed at sensitising everyone on protecting Mangrove trees.
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