The Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change has admitted to failing to prevent encroachment on forest reserves, resulting in massive deforestation of protected areas.

Deputy Director,  Ted Kamoto told Zodiak Online on Friday that people cultivating in these areas were supposed to stop this long time ago. 

He said the ministry plans to engage with local communities to reverse the trend.

"There was negligence in the first place, we would stop them before encroaching the larger part of our forest reserve and our next course of action is to engage the locals," said Kamoto.

Environmental activist, Mathews Malata, has  urged  the department to take proactive measures, resolving operational issues and addressing the alarming situation in the country's forests. 

Malata has warned community members that the consequences of their actions will not only affect the government but also their own livelihoods.

Unspecified hectares of forest land have been encroached for cultivation and illegal charcoal production, according to the department of forestry.