Mozambique loses around 267,000 hectares of forest every year - which represents 0.79% of its total forest area. According to the Minister of Land and Environment, Ivete Maibaze, quoted by AIMThis deforestation leads to the emission of 40 million tons of greenhouse gases.

The source, who was speaking in Maputo last Friday (26) during a national meeting to present proposals for regulating the forestry law, said that last year, 31,896 cubic meters of various types of illegally cut wood were seized, noting that this amount also included wood for fuel and construction materials, but also unprocessed logs and some sawn timber.

On the occasion, she said that 86% of the country's deforestation is the result of slash-and-burn agriculture.

"The Ministry of Land and Environment has been making efforts to reduce acts that threaten the sustainability of the country's forests. Since 2020, there have been 8,902 inspections of forest areas that have culminated in 4,970 fines against operators working illegally," the minister revealed, adding that these total the equivalent of 8.9 million dollars, but to date only 4.9 million dollars have been paid.

(Photo DR)