A Foni-based Community Association, the Bulock Kapongha Youth Development Association (BKYDA) has disclosed plans to organize its fourth (4th) edition Annual Tree Planting Exercise on 31st August, 2019.
The tree planting exercise, which will be held at the Foni Bulock Community Forest in West Coast Region (WCR), is geared towards combating climate change thus improving the community livelihood and wildlife conservation.
The Vice President of the BKYDA who is overseeing the Presidency, Isatou Badjie said the annual exercise will bring together members of the association and locals of the community to plant over 4000 trees.
“Fruit trees will also be planted to enable local people to benefit from Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP),” she said, adding that if the initiative goes successful, it has the potential of positively impacting on the living conditions of the entire inhabitants of Bulock.
The population, she continued, will deprive economic benefits from the forest products directly and indirectly.
In addition, the tree planting exercise will see the creation of a bee keeping center that will help in pollination of crops as research has proven that bee pollinated trees can produce more fruit than others.
According to Badjie, the bee keeping centre can create decent jobs for women and youth through engaging in the production, processing and marketing of honey products.
She thanked the partners of the previous tree planting exercise such as the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema), the Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia Chapter, Department of Forestry as well as Green Up Gambia for sponsoring the exercise and implore on them to make this year a memorable event.
The association is currently benefitting from the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema) Youth Garden Scheme.