COMMUNITY RADIO ESSENTIAL IN COMMUNICATION INFORMATION ON WEATHER

22.05.2014

A Zambian Scientist has identified Community Radio as an important partner in communicating essential weather related information to the public.

Dr. Joseph Kanyanga explained to Desire Media Concept that community media is closer to people and can translate information in local languages which can easily be understood by communities.

Dr. Kanyanga who is an assistant Director at the Zambia Meteorological Department and is involved in forecasting and research has since called called for increased number of community radio stations in districts across the country.

He explained that doing so will help people in the communities receive vital information on the weather hence allow them to plan their activities accordingly.

Amidst the challenges of Climate Change, Zambia has not been spared from the shift of weather patterns.

And this situation calls for relevant systems in place in order for people to access reliable information so as to plan their activities.

ZAMBIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT CRITICAL IN MAKING FARMERS MAKE NECESSARY DECISIONS

21.05.2014

The Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) says it is an essential institution in disseminating relevant Weather and Climate change related information to farmers in the country.

ZMD Assistant Director Dr. Joseph Katongo Kanyanga explained to Desire Media Concepts   that his department has been critical specifically in the area of giving timely rainfall pattern information to farmers in order for them to make necessary decisions.

Meanwhile Dr. Kanyanga has disclosed that the current meteorological technology been used is up to date.

He however explained that the technology lacks modernization due to lack of funding.

Dr. Kanyanga also revealed that the meteorological station network currently does not cover all Districts in the country hence compromising accuracy in giving weather reports in some areas.

The Zambia Meteorological Assistant Director Dr. Joseph Kanyanga was speaking to our environmental reporter Maybin Katungulu in an exclusive interview on Tuesday 20th May 2014.

GOVERNMENT NOT COMMITTED TO PROMOTING CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

27.03.2014

 Conservation Farming Unit (CFU) says the Zambian government is not committed to promoting Conservation Agriculture in the country.

  

CFU Field Supervisor in Mwachisopola Village Maria Kaindu explained to Desire Media Concepts  that if government was serious about practicing Conservation Agriculture it could have made it a policy issue.

Ms Kaindu cited late delivery of farming inputs by government to Small Scale Farmers implementing Conservation Agriculture as lack of seriousness.

She explained that amidst unpredictable rainfall pattern the country is experiencing, Conservation farmers are supposed to plant early if they are to be assured of better yields.

Ms Kaindu  has since  expressed worry at the late coming and early ending of the rain this year adding  that the development will negatively affect farmers who planted their maize late due to delay in delivering farming inputs by government.

“This year’s farming season is really worrying because rains came late and they have gone early. if we had some rains this month, most farmers would have had good to average yields. So it still goes back to early planting again because only farmers who planted early have a good crop as I speak now”, she said.

STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES

‘STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES, USE CONSERVATION METHODS’

Youth Environment Network (YEN) has called on members of the public starting up new settlements to desist from cutting down trees

YEN Executive Director Billy Lombe observes in an interview that instead of cutting trees developers should use methods that will ensure conservation of the trees.

Mr. Lombe explained that people developing new settlements should not clear the entire vegetation including trees but use vegetation conservation methods.

He expressed sadness at the alarming rate at which trees are being cut down in the country adding that the situation is worrisome.

Mr. Lombe has since urged all members of the public to plant more trees so as to avert the effects of climate change.

The out skirts of Lusaka have in the recent past witnessed massive construction of new residential settlements and most developers are hugely cutting down trees.

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY 2014 CELEBRATIONS

PRESS STATEMENT BY METEOROLOGICAL WORLD ORGANISATION, AHEAD OF WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY CELEBRATION ON 23RD MARCH 2014

World Meteorological Day is celebrated every year on 23 March to commemorate the entry into force in 1950 of the convention that created the World Meteorological Organization.

The day also highlights the huge contribution that National Meteorological and Hydrological Services make to the safety and well-being of society.

This year's World Meteorological Day theme is “Weather and climate: engaging youth." Today’s youth will benefit from the dramatic advances being made in our ability to understand and forecast the Earth’s weather and climate.

 At the same time, most of today’s youth will live into the second half of this century and experience the increasing impacts of global warming.

A new Youth Corner has been launched in order to explain our weather and climate system and encourage young people to take action on climate change.

The celebration at WMO headquarters will take place Monday 24 March programme (pdf). Special guest is Alain Ratier, director-general of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

There will be a live video hook-up with Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and also with researchers at Neumayer-Sation III in Antarctica.

Mr Ahmad Alhendawi, the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, will deliver a video message. Media are invited to the ceremony