THE government in collaboration with various stakeholders is set to plant eight million trees annually in Kilimanjaro Region as part of measures to protect the disappearing glacier on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Dastan Kitandula, Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism announced the plans here yesterday when responding to a question by Moshi Rural MP Prof Patrick Ndakidemi (CCM) who wanted to know government’s measures to protect disappearing ice on Africa's tallest mountain.

Responding, Kitandula stated that the primary cause of the reduction in ice on Mount Kilimanjaro is global warming due to climate change.

“This is exacerbated by increased human activities, particularly deforestation, agriculture, fires in the areas surrounding the mountain, below normal rainfall, drought and dry winds from the Indian Ocean,” he said.

Kitandula said that other measures include raising public awareness about tree planting and environmental conservation through radio and television programmes, festivals and various national and international observances.

He also mentioned that the government, in collaboration with stakeholders, has launched a campaign to plant over one billion trees in the northern regions to save the glacier on Mount Kilimanjaro.

"Medium-term strategies include promoting better land use and strengthening protection in the areas surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro as well as implementing plans to control and combat mountain fires," he said.

He further noted that in implementing long-term strategies, the government continues to work with regional and international organizations to implement joint strategies to withstand and address climate change. This includes improving agricultural technologies, enhancing water use efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and restoring ecological systems on and around the mountain.