FoodForward SA The same food system that is feeding our population is also destroying our fragile planet. Food loss and waste is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, accounting for around 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental and climate impacts of our food system are severe and becoming increasingly apparent. In…
Writes Charles Dhewa Agroecology and related sustainable ways of producing food started receiving attention in the past few years compared to industrial agriculture practices some of which are more than 100 years old. This means big industries that advance agroecology at a big scale are yet to be developed. However, the increasing demand for food…
Writes Chimeno Azriel Chedonje Primary School won the prestigious Environmental Quiz Competition finals held at Highbury Hotel and Conference Center in Kadoma last Thursday. Sanyati District Primary schools converged at the magnificent hotel and battled each other for the coveted environmental quiz competition and learners proved that they were ready to fight climate change as…
The curtain was drawn on the high-level Conference “Fostering Sustainable Futures: Integrating Climate Resilience in Southern Africa,” held at the Avani Windhoek Hotel in Namibia. The final day was graced by renowned sustainable development policy experts, including Claude Kabemba, Executive Director of the Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), whose insights and expertise underscored the conference’s…
As the ugly, devastating, and catastrophic effects of Climate Change are visibly taking a toll on communities, there is an urgent need for stakeholders to converge, explore options and possible solutions to ameliorate these effects, build coping, resilience, and adaptation capacities, and reduce vulnerability and risk. While the El-Nino-induced drought is affecting communities, the Ministry…
His Excellency Mr. Edward Kallon, Zimbabwe United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator has urged the urgent need for forging partnerships and ensuring sustainable health finance to strengthen Zimbabwe’s health systems, reiterating that such efforts are integral to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and addressing the multifaceted health challenges that lie ahead. He delivered the remarks…
The “Own Your Doorstep” campaign was launched today to revamp Harare and retain its Sunshine City status with a call for shop owners, corporates, and other stakeholders to keep the capital clean. In his address during the launch, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province, Hon Senator Charles Z….
The collaboration of the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority will take Zimbabwe to greater heights, in terms of wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism development, First Lady, Hon Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa has said. She said this in her keynote speech…
Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda delivered a well-received and highly impactful keynote address at the Conference on “Fostering Sustainable Futures: Integrating Climate Resilience in Southern Africa,” at the Avani Windhoek Hotel, Namibia, where he urged Southern African nations to develop sound strategies for climate action. This meeting is being…
Nurturing Community Gardens and Harmony in Hurungwe Writes UNDP Zimbabwe In the heart of Hurungwe rural district and the sun-drenched landscapes of Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, a transformative initiative is quietly blooming. Through the innovative use of solar-powered piped water schemes, local communities are creating thriving gardens that mitigate the persistent human-wildlife conflicts that have…
Writes Lloyd Rabaya Swish swoosh goes the pens as attendees take notes while Christopher Chinyoka, a young field officer guides them through Elizabeth Mpofu’s field in Shashe, Masvingo more than 40km from the Central Business District (CBD). Under the cloud cover, the birds in the trees welcome the Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers Forum (ZIMSOFF) farmers…
Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda is currently in Windhoek to attend a high-level panel Workshop on “Fostering Sustainable Futures: Integrating Climate Resilience in Southern Africa”. Speaker Mudenda was received at the airport by Her Excellency, Mrs. Melody Chaurura, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Namibia. The workshop will…
The Irrigation Investment Conference held in Harare recommended the uptake of actionable results to accelerate climate-proofing of the agricultural sector from the household to the national level. This was revealed by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Hon Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka at the Irrigation Investment Conference held at the Harare…
As part of her climate change initiative on the continent, Ms Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, the African Union Commission Youth Envoy, planted trees in Bulawayo where she engaged young people in a one-week-long climate change youth symposium. Speaking after the tree planting exercise at Mawaba Primary School, Mpemba reiterated the urgent need for the youth to…
Zimnat General Insurance announced the successful restoration of St. Francis Pimai Primary School in the Eastern Highlands, following the devastation caused by the recent cyclone. The school, insured with Zimnat General Insurance, received a swift and comprehensive payout for property damages, allowing them to rebuild classrooms and staff quarters with minimal disruption to their academic…
On the 3rd of July 2024, during the session on the presentation of Country Reports, the Parliament of Zimbabwe presented its progress report on the Resolutions from the 54th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly Session held in Port Louis, Mauritius, from 22nd to 26th November 2023. The report reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to regional integration, climate…
The handover ceremony of the drought insurance payout cheque by the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group signifies the nation’s resilience against climate-induced adversities. This was said by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, Prof. Mthuli Ncube at the occasion of the Africa Risk Capacity drought insurance payout today in Harare. “I am…
Stakeholders are reviewing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Agricultural Investment Plan – RAIP- (2017 – 2022), which was approved by Council in 2017 – a five-year plan that operationalised and implemented the regional agricultural policy (RAP). The RAIP outlined priority programs and sub-programs to be implemented during the five years. It was envisaged…
The National Space Research and Development Agency has launched Crop Watch, a satellite-based agricultural monitoring system, in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Aerospace Information Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The launch event, held in Abuja on Tuesday, brought together international partners and stakeholders to address…
As the African Union Commission embarks on the Post Malabo consultations roadmap, the Members of Parliament of the African States remain key stakeholders in influencing their governments’ budget processes that will enable member states to improve their agricultural productivity potential, with a focus on driving accountability for agri-food transformation. This emerged at a 3-day workshop…
The Irene Science expo, Careers’ Day, and awards ceremony event held at Irene Christian College in Marlborough, Harare, was a resounding success. The event, which took place on 27th and 28th June, saw the participation of 14 schools, including prestigious institutions such as Prince Edward School, Mabvuku High School, Milestone College, Sacred Heart College, and…
During the 55th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Angola running from the 1st to the 7th of July 2024 in Angola, Hon Jacob F.N. Mudenda, the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe urged the Southern African Development Community to come up with renewable energy policies and a single energy market. “I am privileged…
Ms. Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, the African Union Commission Chairperson’s Special Envoy on Youth Affairs, is in Zimbabwe for a one-week Youth Symposium and training program focused on climate change. The event to be held in Bulawayo aims to empower young people to address climate challenges & promote climate action. “As the Youth Envoy, it is…
African Parliamentarians must prioritize and intensify the fight against hunger to achieve the continent’s mission of Ending Hunger, said the Pan-African Parliament President, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, while unveiling the “milestone” Model Law on Food and Nutrition Security in Africa in Midrand, South Africa. Adopted by the Pan-African Parliament Plenary on November 11, 2022, the purpose…
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has secured more than $18 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for two major projects aimed at bolstering environmental sustainability and resilience across Africa. The first project, “Strengthening Zambezi River Basin Management towards Climate Resilience and Ecosystem Health,” has been allocated $10.57 million. This initiative aims to…
Writes Baboloki Semele In response to the accelerating threat of climate change, the Republic of Congo, under the leadership of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, will host the first International Conference on Afforestation and Reforestation from July 2 to 5, 2024, in Brazzaville. This event, endorsed by the African Union as the “African and Global Afforestation Decade,”…
The 2024 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Annual Congress in Victoria Falls is running under the theme, “Unlocking New Frontiers for Sustainable Industrialization and Climate-Smart Business Growth,” setting the stage for a transformative journey towards green growth where the economy thrives while protecting the environment for a resilient future for Zimbabwe. In his remarks,…
On the 24th of June 2024, Sabino Canyon International College, Oxford Study Center, and Climate Action Network Zimbabwe held a successful Desertification Day commemoration event at Canyon International College school premises in Marlborough, Harare. The event featured student-led activities showcasing their knowledge of environmental topics through debates, quizzes, and impactful poetry performances. The engagement helps…
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have made a clarion call for duty bearers to investigate the spate of corrupt land allocations in Harare and bring the culprits to book. Cleveland Action Alliance; Network for Environmental and Climate Justice; and Residents Against Land Degradation said in a joint statement that they are concerned that illegal land allocations, including…
Sabino Canyon International College (SCIC) today hosts the World Desertification Day commemorative celebrations to raise awareness about the impact of desertification on the environment. The learning institution encourages the conservation and promotion of sustainable practices including afforestation and reforestation. The Day was commemorated worldwide on 17 June 2024. The theme for this year is “United…
Thor Oechsner arrives at one of his wheat fields about 9 miles west of Cornell University’s Ithaca campus with a laugh and a shrug. “It’s not all turnip flowers,” Cornell Extension support specialist Kristen Loria responds in answer to the farmer’s good-natured, nonverbal admonishment. She’s referring to the bright blooms of yellow rockets that are…
Writes Norma Tsopo MUTARE – Town dwellers are not being spared the vagaries of the El Nino-induced hunger that has begun to force families to skip meals across the country after a failed 2023/24 farming season. A caregiver who is supervising the care of two infants in Zimunya Township, which lies just 20 kilometres from…
Writes Charles Dhewa The fact that agroecology and other sustainable food production practices are gaining ground against industrial agriculture practices is no longer debatable. However, there is still a lot of work to make agroecology products more consumer-centric. That means proponents of agroecology and sustainable consumption have to re-invent creative ways of promoting agroecology products…
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of EUR 3 million from the European Union (EU) to support the continuation of nutritional support and services to the most vulnerable urban communities in Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. The contribution will explore viable pathways for WFP, governments, and partners to reduce and mitigate…
Writes Lloyd Rabaya As the sun rises over the field, casting a golden glow over the crops. Abel Katsande (67) and Marova Moyo (62) smile as they welcome visitors to their 1.5-acre field in Kawere village, Mutoko, about 170km from Harare. One easily notices the remnants of the recently harvested maize crop with leftover maize…
Bonn, Germany – Proper progress is urgently needed at the UNFCCC climate negotiations this week as, with each day passing, the talks are turning into a cesspit of inaction. Underscoring this is how divorced Bonn is fast becoming from real-world conversations, while long-standing inequities within the UNFCCC process, and between and within countries, are worsening. Providing…
Writes Tatenda Mutasa Bonn, Germany Climate change is a threat that affects every person in Zimbabwe, Prof, Prosper B. Matondi, the Secretary for Environment, Climate, and Wildlife has said. He made the remarks in the Bonn Negotiating Rooms for the Climate Change Conference running from 3 to 13 June 2024 where parties are discussing lessons…
Writes Lloyd Rabaya The countrywide presidential borehole drilling scheme has set a target of 1,000 boreholes a month as the government intensifies efforts for clean water supply countrywide. Yesterday, some of the contractors, Prevail Group International (PGI), led by Dr. Paul Tungwarara were at Muganwinwi High School in Bulawayo, where a business unit is being…
The SADC region faces a humanitarian crisis because of the ongoing El Niño induced drought and floods that are negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the region. According to the SADC El Nino Appeal, an estimated 60 million people in Southern Africa are food insecure. Across the southern half of…
HE Edward Kallon, the Zimbabwe UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, has rallied stakeholders to ensure environmental sustainability, climate action, and food security as part of efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). This emerged at the 2024 SADC Regional Commemoration of World Environment Day Theme: “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience” held at the Geo…
More than 30 million people across Southern Africa have been affected by a severe drought. Millions could be pushed into acute hunger unless support is urgently mobilised to scale before the next lean season, warn the United Nations (UN) and partners. The joint call was made yesterday by the UN, NGOs, regional and national authorities,…
Writes Amkela Sidange (Environmental Education and Publicity Manager for EMA) The 5th of June is World Environment Day, which is a day that was set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness of environmental issues and provide solutions to environmental challenges that we are experiencing both at a national and global scale. The 2024…
Today, June 5th, marks World Environment Day – an annual event established by the United Nations to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment. This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. While global issues like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity…
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been urged to ride on the success story of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), with its transformative impact on the agricultural sector, to draw invaluable lessons that can be applied in the pursuit of food security to spur progress and development in the region. This was…
In response to the El Niño-induced drought in Zimbabwe, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded CARE Zimbabwe with a US$3 million grant to support 25,000 people in Bikita district in Masvingo province from June to November. According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment 2023 Report, 2.7 million people in Zimbabwe are in dire…
