KILIMANJARO: GEITA Gold Mining Limited (GGML) has stepped up efforts to restore the fragile ecosystem surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro after donating 5,000 tree seedlings as part of a wider environmental conservation campaign.
The initiative, implemented through the GGM HIV Challenge campaign, aims to support climate change mitigation efforts, increase forest cover and protect the natural resources that sustain communities around Africa’s highest mountain.
The seedlings were handed over during the launch of this year’s tree-planting campaign in Hai District, an event officially inaugurated by District Commissioner Mr Hassan Omar Bomboko.
Speaking during the launch, Executive Director of Nessa, the organisation coordinating the Mount Kilimanjaro conservation campaign, Ms Deborah Nyakisinda, said the donation would contribute significantly towards achieving the target of planting two million trees annually around the mountain.
She said scientific evidence shows that urgent action is needed to protect Mount Kilimanjaro’s ecosystem, warning that climate change continues to threaten the mountain’s glaciers and biodiversity.
“Experts warn that by 2100, Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers could disappear completely unless decisive measures are taken to address climate change,” Ms Nyakisinda said.
She explained that the tree-planting campaign began in 2020 with the ambition of planting one billion trees by 2050 through collaboration between the government, private sector and other development partners.
The trees are being planted in various areas surrounding the mountain, including schools, colleges, hospitals, roadsides and community spaces, with the aim of increasing forest cover, improving air quality and protecting water sources.
ALSO READ: Moshi roads get 9bn/- boost
Ms Nyakisinda said conserving Mount Kilimanjaro is important not only for environmental protection but also for tourism development, as the mountain remains one of Tanzania’s most important tourist attractions.
“Through this initiative, we believe Mount Kilimanjaro will continue to preserve its ecological integrity. Protecting the mountain will also contribute to tourism growth and the national economy,” she said.
She called on other regions to strengthen tree-planting initiatives to combat climate change, protect water catchment areas, conserve biodiversity and create employment opportunities linked to tourism and environmental conservation.
For his part, GGML Managing Director Mr Ashraf Suryaningrat said sustainable development cannot be achieved without protecting the environment.
He said GGML’s responsibility goes beyond mining activities, adding that the company continues to invest in community development and environmental conservation programmes across Tanzania.
“Protecting Mount Kilimanjaro is everyone’s responsibility. As a company, we believe our role extends beyond gold mining to include environmental stewardship and contributing to sustainable development,” Mr Ashraf said.
He added that the tree-planting campaign is part of the GGM HIV Challenge initiative, which supports national efforts to achieve the Triple Zero targets by 2030—zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma against people living with HIV.
The campaign is implemented through a partnership between GGML and the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS), combining HIV awareness efforts with environmental conservation activities.
Launching the exercise, Hai District Commissioner Mr Hassan Omar Bomboko commended GGML for donating the seedlings, saying the contribution supports the district’s goal of planting 2.5 million trees as part of long-term measures to conserve Mount Kilimanjaro and its surroundings.
He said participation of the private sector is essential in protecting Tanzania’s natural resources and ensuring they continue benefiting current and future generations.
Mr Bomboko encouraged more stakeholders to join conservation initiatives, noting that restoring forests around Mount Kilimanjaro will help protect water sources, preserve biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience.