‘’Climate is changing , Food and Agriculture must too’’.
By Nevson Mpofu. – Features Correspondent.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – which result in changes in temperatures which can lead to drought in some parts of the Southern region. The warm current brings low rainfall The opposite of it is La-Nina which causes bring heavy rainfalls resulting in floods. However, it is pathetic to note that yearly each either of the two occurs at the expense of the Region’s food security.
The most disturbing factor of drought is the outcome of food in-security resulting in chronic malnutrition, marasmus and kwashiokor respectively in children and older people. Gross Domestic Product [GDP] fall and economic decline compromises on food shortage issues. Decline from the phenomenon of famine is prevailing in the Region in which 40 million people need food and humanitarian aid for basic needs.
The fact on ground is manifested by Zimbabwe’s economic situation. El-Nino resulted in loss of income from crops, livestock value chains as well as income generating opportunities for people that provide labour for the sector. The most devastating effect lies along the fact that 70% of Zimbabweans rely on Agriculture. Its beyond doubt, its farming sector has been hard hit hence reason why food is a problem in the Region .
I intend to agree with an anonymous Expert on some points that though El-Nino has been experienced in many Southern African countries, its better with other countries as compared to Zimbabwe which received low maize tonnage capacity in 2015. Other countries are argued to have done better in maize tonnage capacity. The Expert who is a University of Zimbabwe Lecturer in Agriculture blamed Zimbabwe for its policies not in line with high Agricultural crop production for food security.
The Expert I would like to take for anonymity was quoted in the News of the South in October 2016. She expressed that:
‘’Although Southern African countries have been hard hit by El-Nino, it`s better with other countries in the Region which produced more food than Zimbabwe. The impact in the country has been worsened by its policies’’.
Countries which were compared to are Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. It`s true and, Zimbabwe needs to re-visit its policies like on Land, food production, storage, marketing and supply. Secondly, there is need to create relationships with its World allies strong in Agriculture Technology and Industrial Development.
From Land we own as part of Economic emancipation, we get out of it three basic needs created by Abraham Maslow’s Theory of human basic needs, food clothing and shelter. In the age of Modern world we are living in, political independence without economic independence is yet not Emancipation.
On a World scale, the African Academic would click wise with the Theories crafted back in the 18th century that the world population which by then was 1 billion would be 7 billion by the 21th century. The Theorist might have not succeeded in his theories since he gave no solutions to the escalating problems we face but his population figure and estimations stand correct.
The Theorist, Thomas Malthus pointed it right that more world population would not consummate scarce natural and artificial resources, a scenario which will result in food deficiency. The wealth of the natural resource we use compared to the total population, the balance is out of control. It goes well in the same linear pattern with the artificial human made food resources we are generating from the environment and Agriculture through Industrial production.
I quote Thomas Malthus the 18th century Economist and Demographer’’In the coming 200 years from today, the increasing population will not match the existing resources in the world.’’
A crucial point to note is ‘’Climate is changing, food and Agriculture must too”. This was the 2016 World Food Day Theme. Climate Change adverse impacts are compromising on low food production triggering on Nutrition resulting in health consequences like malnutrition in children, mainly those below the age of five who get affected by stunting, loss of nutritional weigh.
Global acute Malnutrition rose to 5,7% ever in 15 years, World Food Program confirmed.
It clears the air on the issue of Drought in many African countries. This drives to the fact that as ”climate is changing, food and Agriculture must change too”. This calls for strategies and modalities in mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation is lessening the effects and adaptation is on how we adapt to changes.
The capacity building notion is, farmers need to take resilient move to resort to drought resistant seeds like sorghums, millet, rapoko and pulses which take short time to harvest like legumes to name a few, beans, peas and groundnuts. This is response to Drought . The link goes with mitigation and adaptation in drought stricken areas which are leeward slopes or rain shadow regions.
An Expert from the University of Zimbabwe Professor Emmanuel Mushonjowa Head of Department and Consultant in Bio-systems Engineering and Agricultural Meteorology said in an era of Climate change, for farmers, UNDER mitigation and adaptation, changing crops may help .
‘’Climate is changing, food and Agriculture must too’’. Probably, this can sustain farming in hard hit El-Nino countries’’. It is vice-verse also, when we experience Lanina, we adapt to applicable conditions and situations’’, he said.
Community Technology Development Trust Director, Andrew Mwashita advise farmers to focus more on drought resistant crops like millet, sorghum and rapoko.
‘’Focusing on maize at a time climate is changing may be a risk to farmers. At least let us turn to other crops like drought resistant ones like sorghum and PULSES like beans, peas and legumes ‘’.
Stakeholders in drought response are committing themselves in increasing the impact of drought response in provinces in the country. Eddie
Rowe, World Food Program Zimbabwe Representative and Country Director comments that Community accountability is key for WFP’s food assistance program .
‘’Community accountability is key for World Food Program’s food assistance program. We are currently developing standard operating procedures for the toll-free Hotline system in effort to respond to drought. This will be replicated by all stakeholders.’’ said Eddie Rowie .
United Nations Agencies Humanitarian response efforts first look at the Four principles of humanitarianism which are humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence .
Above to what Tidiane Cissie, United Nations Country Co-ordinator proposes apart from the four Universal Principles Partnership in drought response calls for multi-faceted commitments. Monitoring and evaluation of mitigation and adaptation of the effects of climate change is done for oriented results.
Farmers need capacity building, advocacy and Environmental science education on issues related to how they can learn more, inculcate knowledge to others and working as trainers of other people in the community. Orientation and integration graduates them in productive farming.
The Response Plan of the United Nations Agencies, Government Ministries and Non- Governmental Organisations which protects and saves livelihoods has so far reached 2,8 Zimbabweans which is 30% of the total population .The total number of people in need of food aid in Zimbabwe is 4,3 million and the largest number is in the rural areas where livelihoods base capacities have been destroyed by effects of Climate Change .
The Human Response Plan targets the vulnerable,
those affected by HIV and AIDS and climate change. Double orphans left in the open by HIV and AIDS from 2005 up to 2016 are the vulnerable who are now victims of El-Nino, a factor which affects and impacts more on food production and Nutrition Security in Southern Africa. According to Famine Early Warning Systems Network [FEWSNET], increased humanitarian assistance is needed in most of the drought affected Southern region Matebeleland provinces, Masvingo , parts of Manicaland and Midlands.
In Zimbabwe there are 48,000 households of child headed families and 13 000 double orphans according to 2007 reports by United Nations Development Programs [UNDP]. Biting challenges of El-Nino in the region have over the past years exposed those children to extreme poverty and hunger. Southern Africa alone with a total population of 230 million people has a total of 28 million people in need of food aid.
It stands to tell a story that climate change mitigation and adaptation measures and drought master plans must be discussed at Regional level with the theme of Regional Intergration linking with Global Partnership for Development strategies in order to get financial aid.
Zimbabwe has so far received 55,6 million from the UK Department for International Development [DFID] for vulnerable children under the Zimbabwe Vulnerable Children Rural Livelihood Assessment, an additional $10 million is for prevention and treatment of acute nutrition .Access to nutritional food is important since 160 million children will be screened for Malnutrition and 12 ,000 will receive treatment .
Nevson Mpofu is a multi-Awarded Journalist. Currently, he is a Community Development Lecturer @ Career Management Centre UK ABMA PROJECT.
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