VOICES FOR JUST CLIMATE ACTION PROJECT EXCITES FARMERS

 By Christopher Chisi, Rufunsa District

The commencement of the implementation of the  5-year Voices for Just Climate Action project last year has not only cheered but also brought a huge sense of relief to smallholder farmers based in Rufunsa District, who are seeking solutions to the impact of climate change.  

The project which is being implemented by a non-government organisation which promotes biodiversity conservation and natural resources management in food production practices, called Community Technology Development Trust-CTDT in partnership with Akina Mama Wa Afrika, a feminist-Pan-African leadership development organization, has invigorated farmers' hope and broadened their knowledge as well as their understanding of the impact of climate change and how best they can respond to the phenomenon.

One of the farmers identified as Ruth Mangamu a member of persons with disabilities in the district said she did not know that the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and other weed killers can impact negatively soil fertility until she participated in the Voice for just climate action workshop where they were sensitised.

She explained that she has come to appreciate the importance of avoiding burning her field, and the use of organic manure and indigenous seeds.

43-year-old Ruth narrated that being a woman and disabled at the same, the impact of climate change has been so severe to her to an extent that accessing food has been difficult as she is unable to walk long distances.

She has also recognized the necessity of growing a variety of crops such as pumpkin leaves, beans, soya beans and groundnuts, further urging other women to fully apply the concepts of smart agriculture in order to counter the impact of climate change.

"For me as a disable person climate change is posing a serious challenge because many of our crops have ended up being damaged as farmers hence the need for us to grow a variety of crops," she said.

It is a well-known fact that Climate change has taken a toll on most smallholder farmers, causing havoc and food shortages among citizens, hence the need to mitigate its impact.

The project which seeks to address food, water and seed systems, and how climate change affects the food system seeks to empower smallholder farmers in Rufunsa district to amplify their voices and advocate for food production based on climate-resilient production systems among others.

Another farmer who also attended the workshop, identified as Rachio Saili said there is a need for more sensitisation workshops on the subject matter because some farmers especially women are still lacking knowledge yet they continue bearing its impact.

"Climate change has resulted in food shortages because of drought and women who are the major custodian of children in homes are the most affected," she said.

Participants of the workshop posing for a photo 

Meanwhile Community Technology Development Trust-CTDT Director, Charles Nkhoma encouraged farmers to take a leading role in fighting climate change by embracing good agricultural practices such as crop diversity, agro-ecology and the use of local seeds among others.

Mr Nkhoma said the organisation through the Voice for Just Climate Action project wants the local people to drive the fight against climate change because they are better placed to respond to the problem as they are more familiar with the happenings in their communities.

He explained that they also want the voices of women, youths and chiefs to be amplified because they are among the groupings who are affected by climate change.

He further indicated that they are resolved to bridge the information gap and ensure that information being disseminated to farmers is simplified for easy understanding.

"The project aims at increasing the knowledge base in the communities so that we can champion messages on climate change. The approach we want to take as CTDT is to make this issue as simplistic as possible because a lot of time we make these things so difficult," he noted.

Meanwhile, Mr Nkhoma reminded farmers to avoid the deep ploughing of their fields including the cutting down of trees as they are among the key drivers of climate change.

He explained that every time a farmer disturbs soil or engages in cutting down trees, carbon dioxide is released in the atmosphere thereby diminishing the ability of it being absorbed by trees.

"The only thing that happens is that climate change takes place because we are disturbing the balance. The balance, in this case, is readjusting the proportion of Carbon dioxide and Oxygen in the atmosphere .lets us focus on the things we do as farmers, first the balance is maintained by carbon being trapped by the soil. The carbon dioxide is trapped below the soil so that the environment is moderated by only the allowed ratio of carbon which should not go beyond certain percentages. Sometimes a bite of Carbon dioxide escapes into the atmosphere but to ensure balance we have tress and all other green plants. If Too much Carbon dioxide escapes from the soil the trees absorb them so that that balance is maintained," Nkhoma said.

Community Technology Development Trust-CTDT Director, Charles Nkhoma explaining to participants the objectives of the project

And Rufunsa District Agricultural Coordinator Francis Mwansa paid growing tribute to Community Technology Development Trust for coming on board to help to disseminate information to farmers on organic farming, in particular, the use of local seeds and organic manure.

Mr Mwansa said this resonates well with his office's desire to see to it that farmers are food secure at the household level.

He has stressed the need for them to diversify their crops and reduce dependence on maize only so that they are not disadvantaged in the event one crop fails to grow.

"We are partnering with these NGOs such as the Community Technology Development Trust and they are helping us by disseminating the information to our farmers by teaching them how to utilise the other varieties of local seeds such as legumes, beans and groundnuts and not to rely on hybrids seeds. All in all, what we are interested in is to ensure that farmers in Rufusa have a lot of foods so that they don't starve," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwansa disclosed that the area has recorded a reduction in crop yield due to poor rainfall patterns.

"In Rufunsa we are equally affected by climate change and the yields are very low. In fact in some places like Shikabeta area where the rainfall pattern was very poor and yields consequently are very poor. Usually, we could have been having more than 3.5 metric tons but now the yields have reduced to 1.5 metric tons per hectare which is very low. It means that most of our farmers will be food insecure," he said.

He however said that a few farmers who used conservation farming or sustainable agriculture were slightly spared because they were able to practise soil conservation measures although their yields were still below the expected standard.

And Rufunsa District Commissioner, Richard Mabena has revealed that the district is in the process of requesting relief food from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit- DMMU office to cushion the looming hunger due to the anticipated reduction in crop yields in the area.

The District Commissioner attributed the anticipated reduction in crop yields to the impact of climate change in form of floods and drought which were experienced in the different parts of the district this year.

He cited Namanongo, Mwisha Ngombe, part of Bunda Bunda and Kabuyu ward including the resettlement schemes as some of the areas that are expected to be affected.

Mr Mabena re-echoed that the cutting down of trees is among the key drivers of climate change in the area, hence he has engaged Chief Bunda Bunda Soli People of Rufunsa District who has instituted some measures to address the scourge.

He says women especially those living in the rural parts of the country, like Rufunsa district are the most affected by the impact of climate change.

Mr Mabena said this during the official opening of the Community Technology Development Trust Voices of Climate Action Partner Mobilisation and Consultative Workshop held in Rufunsa District.

Rufunsa District Commissioner, Richard Mabena reading the speech during the official opening of the workshop

Picture Credit: Daina Mapulanga CTDT communications officer