Posted by Sandy Hutchens
Did you know that the simple act of planting a tree can help build healthy communities in rural Africa? That’s because…
Everything is connected
* Without adequate forest cover soils become depleted
* Without fertile soil, food production declines and hunger increases
* Without secure food supplies and clean water, good health is impossible
Often, we don’t think about the fact that trees are a crucial ingredient to sustaining good health – especially in rural African communities.
Yes, it’s true – trees are a source of life!
In Africa, trees provide many of life’s day-to-day necessities:
* Trees help increase food production by returning moisture and nutrients to the soil
* Trees add moisture to the air, which can increase rainfall and help combat famine producing drought
* Trees provide food, medicine, wood products, fuel and income
* Trees clean the air for the entire global community and help prevent global warming
Cutting down too many trees leads to a cycle of soil degradation, reduced food production, hunger and drought. In countries like Ethiopia and Malawi for example forest cover has fallen below 10 per cent.