Today, His Excellency The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde E.D. Mnangagwa officially commissioned Allied Timbers Zimbabwe Forestry and Machinery Equipment in Mutare. The President was represented by the Minister of Defence, Security and War Veterans Hon O.C.Z Muchinguri-Kashiri
The equipment was procured through the Belarus Facility. This is the momentous culmination of sterling efforts by the Government in support of Allied Timbers Zimbabwe and indeed is also demonstrable support for the plantation timber value chain which has faced a number of challenges, natural and otherwise, over the past decades.
The forestry equipment received under the Belarus facility is as follows:
- 4 x Air-conditioned dump trucks for road gravelling
- 7 x Air-conditioned 30-ton trucks (6×4-WD) for log haulage
- 1 x low-bed carrier trailer for inter-Estate movement of machinery
- 6 x Semi-trailers with hydraulic manipulator for self-loading and haulage of timber
- 10 x Drop-side trucks (4×4-WD) for labour and materials movement at our operations
- 30 x Motorbikes for forest protection patrols and plantation operations supervision
- 7 x 5,000-Litre fire tenders for large fire suppression
- 5 x 400-Litre Rapid response Toyota Hilux trucks for urgent fire callouts at Estates.
The equipment, will certainly inject energy in the life blood of operations of Allied Timbers Zimbabwe and impact positively on the forest plantation sector in the following ways:
- Positive developmental mentality and confidence in young people who aspire to join the forest sector and in foresters who owe the plantations to their graceful careers;
- Improved support for rural jobs at the forest plantations of Allied Timbers Zimbabwe;
- Improved fire protection of the planted timber resource in the forest sector since equipment is used jointly among timber growers
- Improving access to rural communities since roads in plantations link up with rural land which is the principal catchment forest labour
- Of all benefits, improved carbon sequestration through many trees that are to be planted and safeguarded in the improved operations of Allied Timbers Zimbabwe.
The colourful event was attended by the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Hon N.M Ndhlovu, Minister for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Hon Matsikenyere, Deputy Minister Foreign Affairs Hon D. Musabayana, PS for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mr M. Munodawafa, Deputy Minister Industry for the Republic of Belarus Mr D. Kharytonchyk and other Senior Government Officials.
