Mozambique:
Paving the way for industrial tree plantations
In May 2006, the
Mozambique Ministry of Agriculture submitted for discussion the
document “National Reforestation Strategy” (the complete document
in Portuguese can be found at
http://www.wrm.org.uy/paises/Mozambique/Estrategia_Reflorestamento.doc).
As stated in the document, the bases to promote the establishment
of tree plantations in the country involving fast-growing species
are set out.
Following the pattern
present in all the other countries that have introduced large-scale
monoculture tree plantations, the proposal comes with the promise
of generating jobs and eradicating poverty, contributing to national
development particularly in rural zones.
Similarly, it starts
with what we could say is the “original sin” of this whole package,
which so far FAO has transmitted in proposal after proposal: the
identification of monoculture tree plantations with forests. And
it is thus that the Mozambique project promises that the tree
plantations will serve to: preserve soils and water (!), restore
fragile and degraded ecosystems and increase levels of productivity
(!), improve environmental quality (!) and increase social awareness
on the value of nature!
The World Rainforest
Movement has extensively documented this issue and our world campaign
against large-scale monoculture tree plantations is aimed at disseminating
and alerting on their nefarious effects, precisely and especially
on soils and water, but also on rural populations and the real
economy of people.
The project announces
that 7 million hectares have been identified as potentially fit
for forestation in the provinces of Sofala, Manica, Zambezia,
Nampula and Niassa. It proposes to establish at least 2 million
hectares of tree plantations over the coming 20 years. It also
announces that the zoning
of close on 3 million hectares of land fit for forestation will
be made and that “it should be available for potential investors
for the development of industrial plantations.”
In order to attract
investors, the projects proposes that forestry legislation should
provide incentives for industrial tree plantations and for exports
to the emerging markets, particularly those of the Pacific and
Indian Ocean, especially China, India and other Asian countries
that are avid for raw material to produce pulp and paper to feed
the needs of a wasteful consumer model.
Obviously and as
affirmed by the document itself, the campaign for the promotion
of industrial monoculture tree plantations in Mozambique is promoted
and sponsored by the major forestry companies engaged in the production
of pulp and paper. There is nothing new under the sun…
This process is just
staring in the country. In their favour the Mozambique people
have the experience gathered in countries that have been “invaded”
for years now by these “green deserts” and that can testify that
none of the promises have been fulfilled. On the contrary, tree
plantations have caused devastation to water resources and to
soils and a loss of biodiversity. And, with regard to the thousands
of jobs, many people can tell how rural communities have become
impoverished, as they no longer have the forest or grassland ecosystems
that served – to al least some extent – to support them.
No alternative has been left to these communities but to emigrate
or to work as captives in the plantations on a seasonal basis,
generally through outsourcing, in appalling conditions and often
even in semi-slavery. Many Mozambicans who immigrated to South
Africa in search of employment are well aware of this as they
have suffered from it.
Everywhere it is
the same discourse: that pulp or logs exported from the industrial
tree plantations will bring development to the country, generating
jobs and export earnings. However, the scenario is everywhere
the same: export earnings reach the country, but the benefits
go to the hands of the major plantation companies, while the people
and the environment end up loosing.
Now it is up to the
people of Mozambique to stop the looming disaster.
By Raquel Núñez,
World Rainforest Movement,
e-mail: raquelnu@wrm.org.uy,
based on documentation sent by
Vera Ribeiro,
Coordinator of GeaSphere
in Mozambique,
e-mail::
veruribeiro@gmail.com
