IRRIGATION CRUCIAL IN AFRICA-COMESA

 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) says irrigation is crucial for sustainable food security in African countries .

COMESA climate change advisor Dr. Mclay Kanyangarara explains to Maybin Katungulu  that governments and cooperating partners should seriously consider supporting small scale farmers in irrigation technologies.

" As COMESA we have been talking and advocating that governments and cooperating partners to seriously invest in irrigation. In this case a farmer will be able to produce even in the absence of adequate rainfall. It is obvious that doing so will ensure sustainable food security. Now you must understand that here am talking about supporting small scale farmer who is a major contributor to national food basket', says Dr. Kanyangarara.

Meanwhile Dr. Kanyangarara also advises farmers to adopt methods aimed at managing water for crop production.

He says water harvesting is such an affordable technology which can help small scale farmer produce enough even in the absence of adequate rainfall.

"There are also available means or let me say technologies which a farmer can use to manage water for crop production. For instance water harvest should be practiced, here a farmer just needs to dig basins and water will be trapped at plant level. I must agree that here in Zambia the technic is wide spread among the farmers", Dr. Kanyangarara explains.

The change in the climate is a serious challenge on crop production especially in African countries where majority small holder farmers depend on rain fed agriculture.

Climate change is a political issue, especially in African Countries-French Ambassador

As World leaders prepare to meet in France at a Climate Change Conference in December this year French Ambassador to Zambia says climate change is a political issue especially in African countries.

The leaders will be deciding on what radical actions should be put in place to address climate change.

 Our staffer Maybin Augustine Katungulu reports that Ambassador Emmanuel Collins noted that already countries in Africa have witnessed conflicts over land and water bodies.

Speaking in Lusaka at a World Wide globe views meeting Mr. Collins charged that climate change is an issue for peace, security, justice, equity and development

He added that the conference in Paris which will take place this year should find solutions for poor countries who are suffering the adverse effects of climate change.

“It is unfair for developing nations to continue suffering the effects of climate change such as droughts and floods when they actually contribute little to green- house emission which are responsible for this predicament”, he said.

On the other hand Common Market for Easter and Southern Africa (COMESA) says international negotiations on climate change should include a fund met to support small scale farmers in irrigation.

Climate Change advisor at COMESA, Dr.  Mclay Kanyangarara is of the view that such funding will help farmers greatly in adaptation amid the challenges of climate change.

Southern Africa holds second beating famine conference in Lilongwe

23.0.15 

By Maybin Augustine Katungulu

A Southern Africa regional ‘Beating Famine’ conference is to be held in Lilongwe, Malawi between 14^th and 17 April 2015.

 The conference will highlight how widespread land degradation in the face of climate change could affect food security in the region.

According to the announcement on the beating famine website the conference aims to showcase key agricultural and land management practices, such as agroforestry and conservation agro-forestry that can address degradation in Southern Africa.

In all eight out of the ten countries constituting Southern Africa region most people live in rural areas and depend on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods.

But today agriculture in the region has been threatened by land degradation caused mostly by soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, overgrazing, uncontrolled burning and improper cultivation.

Now, Governments and other stake holders such as civil society organisations have identified the need to conserve land and reverse degradation to restore its productivity and improve the quality of life for people that depend on it for their livelihood.

In the same vein, World Vision, World Agroforestry Centre and other partners are organizing a beating famine conference in Lilongwe, Malawi between 14^th and 17^th April 2015 under the theme “Sustainable Food Security through Land Regeneration in a Changing Climate

A check on the beating famine website indicates that the four days conference will highlight how widespread land degradation in the face of climate change could affect food security in the Southern Africa region.

The Malawi conference is a follow-up to the highly successful 2012 Beating Famine Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya which catalyzed a range of actions and collaborations across East Africa to address food security, resilience and livelihood issues and opportunities.

GURU JOURNALIST URGUES ZAMBIAN MEDIA TO PRIORITISE CLIMATE CHANGE

20.03.2015

By Maybin Augustine Katungulu

 

A Senior Journalist has called on the media in Zambia to prioritise climate change in its editorial policy.

Edem Djokotoe who has been practicing journalism for the past over 30 years explains that journalist should realize that climate change is affecting agriculture which is mainly rain fed.

Mr. Djokotoe adds that the situation has the potential to cause severe hunger in the country hence the need for the media to educate communities so as to adapt and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

Meanwhile Mr. Djokotoe has noted that the world at large is in trouble due to climate change such as unpredictable rainfall pattern and floods.

He explains to Desire Media Concepts that this situation justifies the importance for journalists to report on issues related to the change in the weather pattern.

Mr.  Djokotoe is of the view that the situation has the potential to cause severe hunger in Africa and specifically in the Eastern and Southern regions.

Apparently, most journalists in Zambia have shown little interest in reporting on issues to do with climate change and the environment at large.

The development has been mainly attributed to lack of interest and lack of understanding by reporters on issues related to changing of the climate.

Climate Change funds not reaching local communities-Oxfam-Zambia

 11.03.2015

Oxfam Zambia says funds reaching local communities to address climate change are not enough.

Oxfam livelihoods project officer Mutinta Nketani explains that countries that are mostly responsible for greenhouse emissions are not giving enough for communities to adapt to the changing of the climate.

Ms. Nketani adds that the insufficient funds are not enabling   communities affected by climate change to continue depending on their livelihood

Maybin Augustine Katungulu reports in Zambia recent findings indicate that 25 million United States Dollars had been approved through multilateral public climate funds for the country.

For instance, much higher amount of funding has been pledged  towards the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR).

“ Even the funds that are coming from the people that are mainly responsible for green -house gas emissions are not giving enough to allow communities that are been affected to adapt or to build resilience to be able to continue, depending on their livelihood”, explains Ms Nketani.

Meanwhile Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum is of the view that communities, mostly by climate change should be engaged in tracking funds met adaptation or resilience.

Country coordinator Simon Mwamba has since urged civil society organizations in Zambia to raise awareness among the communities on climate change projects and funding.

Certainly, there should be levels of accountability and transparent in the application of climate change funds, recognizing that both local and international resources have increased towards climate change adaptation programmes.

However, this can only happen with the involvement of local communities in the utilization of climate change related resources.