Bilene Beach, Gaza. Lunch stop after Xai-Xai town saw mill visit in beautiful southern Mozambique.
Hello again,
Since coming back in mid-June we have wanted to share our experiences with you. Our first project visit to Maputo and its surroundings turned out to be a wonderful experience. Little did we know of what to expect before departure and all we set out to see where more than satisfactory. The itinerary was as follows:
ITINERARY
6 – 16 June, 2013
Finnish team: Prof. Olli Dahl, Dr. Roope Husgafvel, MSc. Mikko Martikka
Local organizers: Prof. Andrade Egas, Prof. Valério Macandza
Fri 07.06 – Sun 09.06
Project meetings with STIFIMO project
Mon 10.06
Finnish Embassy
Board meeting
Wood Technology Lab – UEM University
Tue 11.06
MICOA
Swedish Embassy
Wed 12.06
Visit sawmill in Maputo (J. M. Construções Lda)
Green Resources
Thu 13.06
Travel and visit Madeirarte sawmill in Xai-Xai
Prodeza II meeting at Polana Hotel
Fri 14.06 – Su 16.06
Project meetings & meetings with STIFIMO
Straight after arrival at Maputo international airport we were met by the welcoming staff of STIFIMO (Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation between Finland and Mozambique). One of our main hosts Teemu Seppälä showed us around the places to get us oriented. STIFIMO has a broad network already operating within Mozambique as well as the neighboring countries of South Africa and Swaziland. Teemu took us on a mini tour on the weekend during which we had time to get an overview of the environment and discuss project objectives and share our previous experiences. We saw glimpses of local waste management and forest plantations to name a few examples but also the gloriously beautiful flora and fauna of the region with very diverse landscape.
Tree plantations of Swaziland.
On Monday we started with the HEI ICI project board meeting and a tour of the University and its wood technology laboratory. Professor Andrade Egas of UEM Forestry Department had arranged us an excellent schedule for the week that continued with visits to the embassies of Finland and Sweden and to companies and representative agencies working in the field of environmental issues and sustainability. We also had a privilege to see two saw mills and furniture companies in full operation with a truly detailed insight into how things are manged locally. Particularly these mill visits were excellent in seeing the people in action in their daily work and practice.
A picture is worth a thousand words so please let us illustrate our journey for you with these photos. Enjoy!
HEI ICI staff and project board members at the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering.
UEM Forestry department, memorizing the names of the numerous species of hard wood.
Embassies of Finland and Sweden. Great visits for HEI ICI project for working together with sustainability initiatives and education development.
Circular saw operators at J.M. Construções Lda, Maputo
Hands-on expertise of door making.
Final products.
Delicious Mozambican seafood. Straight off the coast of Maputo. Thank you everyone at J.M. Construções for wonderful hosting!
New projects discussed for sustainable forestry management and collaboration of UEM university and the industry. Great visit at Green Resources Maputo hosted by CEO Arlito Cuco (second from left).
Sustainability at its best where not a fraction of the wood used is discarded. Leftover hard wood bits are used for floor tiles and mosaic, bark vaneer for garden decoration and plants edging and saw dust for henhouse flooring. All workers are local and UEM students are regularly doing projects and mini thesis studies at Madeirarte saw mill in Xai-Xai. The staff also operates a comfortable roadside accommodation service with self-built lodges.
Madeirarte saw mill in Xai-Xai.
Keeping busy at the workshop.
Finished products drying in the sun.
Finished high-quality furniture ready for customer.
Sun setting over Maputo bay.
A big thank you for Professor Andrade Egas and his colleagues, STIFIMO and all other hosts for making us feel so welcome during our entire visit. The work now continues with workshops in curriculum planning and writing of the new teaching material for our module in industrial environmental engineering.
We look forward to seeing you very soon again! Muito obrigado!
