By Joyce Mukucha The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has joined hands with United Nations, Education and Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), International Hydrological Programme, Princeton Climate Analytics and the Government of Zimbabwe in planning towards implementation of the National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) to strengthen proactive climate risk management in Zimbabwe. Considering the current capacities…
By Ronald Rungoyi Climate change is a significant threat to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development, and the Government regards climate change mainstreaming as a priority in its devolution agenda. The country is witnessing increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, particularly droughts, prolonged intra-seasonal dry spells, and severe storms associated with widespread hail and flash flooding,…
Tatenda Mqetu Masvingo Region National Movement of Catholic Students (NMCS) were told that tree planting day should not be an event but rather a process which encompasses follow ups on trees planted with the purpose of motivating the nation to plant, care for, and conserve trees, as a way of ensuring sustainability in the management…
By Byron Mutingwende Agricultural transformation plays an important role in eradicating poverty and hunger, fighting inequality and discrimination as well as tackling climate change to promote peaceful and inclusive societies to achieve sustainable development. The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Mr. Vangelis Haritatos revealed this at the National Dialogue…
By Lenin Tinashe Chisaira (Environmental Legal Correspondent) United States Secretary of State, Trump’s appointee Mike Pompeo announced on Monday 4 November 2019 that the United States had initiated a formal withdrawal process from the Paris Agreement climate treaty. The Paris Agreement’s Article 28 (2) provides for this mechanism when it states that ‘Any such withdrawal…
By Anyway Yotamu and Joyce Mukucha The African Risk Capacity (ARC) has advocated for media inclusion by stakeholders into Disaster and Risk Management issues as it highlighted that journalists play a pivotal role in disseminating natural hazards information. Media capacity building reaps benefits when building resilience and mitigating hazard impacts. Building the capacity of media…
The Government of Senegal yesterday received symbolic cheques of US$23.1 (equivalent of FCFA 13.9 Billion) from the leadership of African Risk Capacity Insurance Limited. The cheques, given in two parts of US$12.5million (FCFA7,494,937,500) and US$10.6million (FCFA6,355,707,009) to the Government and StartNetwork assist in providing early action to support the people affected by drought during the…
By Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction From micro family-run ventures to giant multinationals, companies are often hard hit by disasters that erode their bottom line or force them out of business altogether. But while companies have much to lose, they have a huge amount to offer, so it is vital…
By Joyce Mukucha The African Risk Capacity (ARC) is working towards adopting a gender mainstreaming approach to ensure that gender issues are systematically integrated in its operations, both internally as an organisation, and externally with its Member States. This will be achieved through sustained gender and disaster risk management (DRM) capacity building efforts which will…
By Joyce Mukucha The Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region remains heavily impacted by effects of climate change which continue to be dire resulting in food and water insecurity, loss of lives and livelihoods, displacement of people among other direct impacts especially on the vulnerable population groups with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique among other region…
By Wallace Mawire Two Zimbabwean aeronautical engineers have initiated a new crop spraying drone technology to provide a more efficient, effective and sustainable crop spraying service for Zimbabwean farmers. According to Piwai Chikasha, Managing Director at Alley Capital Group, a Zimbabwean engineering company offering crop spraying services using precision spraying drones, agriculture is one of…
In the face of a global and national climate crisis, the United Nations has reiterated its full commitment to climate action as espoused under the Paris Agreement of 2015. Dr. Esther Muia, Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced the commitment on the 74th Anniversary of the UN in her statement on behalf…
Protecting forests, planting trees, reducing food waste and changing diets critical to cool, liveable planet; the US, the EU, China and Brazil among countries that can lead on efforts to slash land sector emissions A new report published in Nature Climate Change today unveils a land sector roadmap laying out critical actions on forests, farming and food systems the…
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has launched emergency assessments in the east and north-east of South Sudan where severe flooding has left thousands of people stranded in inaccessible areas, threatening to make worse an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. MSF is urging all actors to mobilize resources to mitigate the impact of rising flood levels in affected…
The United Nations Team in Zimbabwe has oiled the machinery to galvanise climate action in the country as espoused at the just ended 74th Session of the UN General Assembly that spotlighted climate action to boost ambition and accelerate actions to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. These were the remarks of the UN…
Conference of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana Accra, under the theme, “Towards the institutionalisation of Local Climate Action and Access to Finance,” begins today as part of the Climate Chance Summit, Africa 2019. The conference will be opened by the Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Local Government and…
By Africa Geographic Editorial “Elephant damage!” is now a common phrase in reaction to the sight of fallen trees, and landscapes bereft of trees. The apparent loss of large savanna trees such as marula and knobthorn in Africa’s protected areas is often blamed on elephants, and this perceived direct link between elephants and treefall drives…
By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu Driven by the commitment to play a pivotal role in the revival of the nation in the agriculture industry, the country’s largest manufacturer and supplier of fertilisers and agricultural chemicals, Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company(ZFC) Limited has invested in a new fertiliser blending plant . The plant valued at US$500 000…
Mentoring scheme supports innovators working on novel solutions to build resilience in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, South Asia and Southeast Asia The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has announced the 16 winners of their Innovation Challenge, focused on surfacing resilience solutions across Africa and Asia. Challenge winners receive three months of technical advice, mentoring and…
By Sujatha Byravan Powerful lobbies with vested interests see agro-ecology as a threat to their influence on farming systems Agro-ecology is recognised worldwide as a system that enhances fertile landscapes, increases yields, restores soil health and biodiversity, promotes climate resilience and improves farmers’ well-being. Its practices are supported by many agricultural scientists, the Food and…
States, businesses and civil society gear up for decisive decade for Agenda 2030 Four years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and with efforts off track for meeting its objectives, world leaders today called for a decade of ambitious action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and announced…
By Joyce Mukucha The United States(US) Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided an additional of US$ 41, 9 million to respond to the critical food security situation in Zimbabwe. The fund is meant to ensure that more than one million rural vulnerable Zimbabweans in sixteen districts have access to…
By Joyce Mukucha According to surveys and researches, it is estimated that 70 percent of the Zimbabwean population reside in rural areas and approximately, 80 percent of the rural population’s livelihoods are dependent on rain fed agriculture making them highly vulnerable to climate change induced weather extremes, variability and climate impacts. Due to the fact…
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is leading the process to design and formulate a project document under the Global Environment Facility 7; “The Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Program”. On 18 October 2018, the GEF Secretariat selected FAO as GEF lead agency for this Sustainable Forest Management Impact Programme (Dryland…
By Abigail Mzimbawakhe (Midlands Correspondent) Wards in Shurugwi are facing a critical shortage of water as they are sharing water from the few boreholes with livestock. Farmers in most wards in Shurugwi are resorting to giving their domestic animals water from the borehole which is affecting most of the boreholes in those areas. Most of…
By Abigail Mzimbawakhe (Midlands Correspondent) Gardening schemes that have been assisting Shurugwi residents with food and vegetables have been affected by drought. A group of 29 villagers established a garden project called “Tirivamwe” to avoid serious food shortages in their area. The gardening project, established to cater for orphans, vulnerable people and local widows most…
By Sue Edmonds For most of the 18 years I’ve been writing about farming issues the buzzword has been ‘sustainability’. Of late it seems to have morphed into ‘regenerative farming’, which aims to do a lot more than sustain, including rebuilding eroded soil and reintroducing the necessary soil life to create the nutritive food the…
By Joyce Mukucha The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Rtd. Gen. Hon Perrance Shiri said Climate change was a cross-cutting issue affecting all socio-economic development sectors and urged line ministries to integrate climate change into their policy planning and budgeting frameworks as a way of mitigating the consequences. He was…
By Byron Mutingwende The Green enterPRIZE Innovation Challenge has been hailed for creating employment for the youths and supporting sustainable enterprise development. The Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr. Ziyambi Ziyambiat made the remarks at the official launch of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2019 Northern Region Green enterPRIZE…
By Joyce Mukucha The African Development Bank (AFDB) in partnership with the World Bank launched a Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) and the Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (IERRP) in an effort to bring profound relief in the affected areas. The World Bank provided a $72 million grant for the ZIRP which will provide…
Cyclone idai painted a worrying picture about Zimbabwe’s disaster preparedness and risk management framework, Miriam Chikukwa, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing has said. This emerged at a Cyclone Idai stakeholder discussant dialogue meeting organised by Oxfam in Zimbabwe to commemorate the World Humanitarian Day –…
By Tendai Guvamombe Zimbabwe is working round the clock to implement the Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) document which will certainly become an absolute guideline framework as its Nationally Determined Contributions in ratifying the Paris Agreement on Climate Change which compels member states to achieve a global target on low carbon emissions reduction. Zimbabwe is…
The Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) has refuted media claims that it is plotting to embark on a smear campaign to tarnish the image of Zimbabwe at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit. The SAPSN Regional Coordinating Committee comprises the Foundation for Social and Economic Justice (Swaziland), Malawi Economic Justice Network, Alternative Information…
By Tatenda Mujeyi Zimbabwe is working towards Implementing its Nationally Determined Contributions with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Russia. The Climate Change Management Department in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement held a validation workshop for the Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) and the attendant Measurement, Reporting…
Seed Co Limited, the leading certified seed company authorised to market seed varieties developed by itself, government and other associated seed breeders in over fifteen (15) African countries has provided an overview of winter cereals for this season. Seed Co Group Chief Executive Mr. Morgan Nzwere revealed at the recent Annual General Meeting that the…
By Joyce Mukucha Following a United Nations appeal concerning Zimbabwe which is facing a chronic food crisis, the International Development Secretary Alok Sharma has announced a £49 million UKAID Fund which is meant to support and help malnourished children, families and communities. Without support more than 5, 5 million people will not have access to…
By Tendai Guvamombe The Global Summit on Climate Change is just around the corner and member states under submission to the Paris Agreement on Climate are without any exception expected to reveal status’, checks and balances with regards to their commitment on the reduction of carbon emissions. This coming September is the month and New…
With new evidence of increasing vulnerabilities in Zimbabwe as a result of climate and economic shocks, the Government, the United Nations and the humanitarian partners felt the urgency to revise the appeal to cover the multi-sectoral humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable communities up to April 2020. UN Resident Coordinator, Ambassador Bishow Parajuli made the…
Celebrate World Elephant Day with National Geographic Wild (channel 182)on DStv this August. They are smart. They are family-oriented. They remember forever. They have complex emotions and they look after each other. On 12 August 2019, National Geographic Wild has lined up a jumbo content block dedicated to these iconic tusked giants. Not only are they the…
By Nevson Mpofu Washington Zhakata, the Director in the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement commented the launch of Annah Brazier’s book on climate change. The book titled Frequently Asked Questions about Climate Change has been taken to rural communities to educate folks there because it…
The EU has announced that it is providing an additional €10 million in funding (about USD 11.15 million) to help address growing humanitarian needs in Zimbabwe A combination of climatic shocks, exacerbated by the economic crisis, led to critical food shortages. The situation is not expected to improve until April 2020, when the next harvest…
By Joyce Mukucha There are fears that the Kariba hydro power station which is the Zimbabwe’s massive power plant might shut down next month as the water inflows continue to decrease. Worries are that power constraints will continue in the country until there is reliable, sustainable and universal energy to the Zimbabwean populace. Contentions between…
THE World Food Programme (WFP)—the biggest buyer of relief food in the country for its operations in the East African region has urged agri-preneurs to step up production of sorghum as there is waiting market. The WFP Country Representative Michael Dunford said here on Tuesday that there huge opportunity for farmers and agri-businesses in the…
By Joyce Mukucha The Ministry of Tourism, Hospitality and Industry in conjunction with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and other stakeholders urged Hurungwe residents to desist from causing veld fires. It has been observed that in Zimbabwe, the Hurungwe area has the highest rate of triggering veld fires. According to statistics, 122 people in this…
Financing from the government, private sector and development partners is an imperative to climate change mitigation, delegates at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMES) workshop in Harare were told. The Workshop is a follow-up to another one that focused on issues related to climate change that was meant to facilitate knowledge generation…
