Residents now travel long distances to resettledfarms to fetch firewood; others use cow dung for cooking. Cutting down trees,including indigenous species, incurs heavy penalties. But locals avoid fines byfelling trees under the cover of darkness.
Thirty-two-year-old Sandra Tunha from Matereravillage says locals are aware the area's threatened by desertification. Themother of two says politicians have focused on flimsy issues rather thantackling more serious issues like solar energy. She says she's convinced officials believe rural communitiesdon't have the capacity to contribute to the national energy debate. She says "They must provide us with solarpanels rather than lie to us. I think we can use solar, since in Africa we havegot a lot of sunshine. We can use that sun as an alternative rather than lyingto us telling us about other political issues."
Seventy-two-year old Dasbom Chadya is a retiredschool teacher from Samuriwo. He saysrural residents obtain information on solar-powered energy when they travel totowns, adding they're aware it can transform their lives. Dasbom -- whonow grows tomatoes and other vegetables for sale in Chitungwiza ? explains manycan no longer afford paraffin or candles.
School children -- who still need to do theirhomework and prepare for exams ? are affected too. Dasbom says while it's a blessing the government hosted the WorldSolar Summit in the 1980s authorities should be working more closely withresidents to explore ways of harnessing this resource, "Weonce had some solar summits and all that and we look forward to the government,the private sector and non-governmental organizations to come together as anation to find out how best we can use solar instead of electricity."
Forty-four-year-old Gilbert Teburu is a vegetablegrower in the area. The father of threesays he's heard solar energy is clean technology which requires lowmaintenance. He feels government should work with residents to help implementsolar energy sources in rural households. Teburu argues future generations areunder serious threat if the current rate of deforestation continues.
Chemist Gondo sells groceries from his home inChipitiri. Although he's managed to put up solar panels at his homestead, mostof his neighbors cannot afford to buy either the panels or batteries whichcross border traders bring here from South Africa. He concurs the only way isfor government, the private sector, NGOs and beneficiaries to work together todevelop a cost-effective method of providing such infrastructure.
Meanwhilethe energy and power development ministry acknowledges more needs to be done.It says between 1993 and 1998 it received financial support from the GlobalEnvironmental Facility, to distribute solar lighting systems. The Ministry saysthis resulted in the installation of 9-thousand solar home systems in ruralhouseholds and institutions.