SAC Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends monsoon plant-growing ceremony

State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing planted a Gangaw (Mesua ferrea) sapling at a monsoon plant-growing function held in the Union Territory, Nay Pyi Taw, yesterday morning.
Also present on the occasion were SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and SAC members, Union-level officials, the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council and chief ministers of regions and states, departmental personnel and students from the university of forestry and natural environment and basic education schools.
In his speech at the ceremony, the Senior General said that plant-growing functions are to be held three times in the rainy season this year with a view to preserving forest resources and biodiversity and greening the natural environment.
Like Pakistan, Viet Nam and the Philippines, he said, Myanmar is launching green campaigns to help protect and conserve the natural environment, contribute to economic development and alleviate climate change and global warming.
He added that forests play an important role in responding to climate change and studies find that one hectare of forest can store 53.2 metric tons of carbon and the world’s forests can absorb 16.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Therefore, it is necessary to place a special emphasis on forest conservation.
As Myanmar is one of the countries most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change and the duration of the monsoon has become shorter and it can affect the agricultural work of the country.
Myanmar possesses the seventh largest area of mangroves in the world and, in Myanmar, most of them are found in Rakhine State, Ayeyawady and Taninthayi Regions. They are an important ecosystem that can prevent natural disasters and contribute to the livelihood of the people living in the coastal areas.
Therefore, the Senior General urged those responsible to work actively together with people and social organizations to grow mangroves and shade trees in 60 townships in coastal areas. Myanmar has potential for businesses based on marine resources and so it is important to conserve forests in the watershed areas in order to protect the networks of creeks and rivers for long-term use.
Myanmar’s geographical position has a variety of ecosystems and natural resources. Special focus should be given to the conservation of tropical forests in the arid zone as depletion of tropical forests can lead to drought, loss of underground water and desertification, which can affect the livelihood of the local people, the Senior General pointed out.
Myanmar is enhancing cooperation with international organizations to respond to climate change, prevent natural disasters, ensure food sufficiency and conserve various ecosystems for the socio-economic development of the country.
The Senior General concluded, saying that it is the custom of Myanmar people to grow plants with a view to ensuring the long-term interests of posterity, that it is important to bear in mind the consequences of deforestation and that it is the national duty to preserve the country’s rich forest resources, biodiversity and ecosystem for national development.
Finally, the Senior General looked around and encouraged the participants who are planting the saplings.—MNA