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RESEARCH has shown that agriculture and water resources will be the worst affected by climate change by 2050 a senior government official has said.
This was said by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, Mr Prince Mupazviriho in a speech read on his behalf by the director of Finance, Administration and Human Resources in the Ministry, Mr Peter Mudzamiri today at the official launch of the scaling up climate change adaptation project in Mutare.
“Research studies have shown that rainfall over much of Zimbabwe is likely to decline by about 5 to 20 percent by 20150 and temperatures may warm up by about 2 to 3.5 degrees Celsius over the same period. Runoff is expected to decline in most river basins of the country by up to 20 percent while cereal yields are projected to decline by up to 50 percent over the same period. These are the adverse harsh realities of climate change,” said Mr Mudzamiri.
He said in light of the scientifically proven challenges Government has developed the National Climate Change Response Strategy with a vision to transform the country into a climate change resilient nation.
Over 10 000 households in parts of Buhera, Chiredzi and Chimanimani stand to benefit from the project funded by various Non-Governmental Organisations, Oxfam, United Nations Development Programme, Southern Africa Food and Climate Justice Campaign and Plan International is in partnership with Government.
The three targeted districts will be a learning case for imitation in other climate change impacted areas throughout the country
Oxfam will be the main implementer of the four-year project which has a budget of $4 million.
Mr Mudzamiri said Government viewed climate change as a serious issue. He added that the development of a climate policy which is in progress would further support and guide the realization of a climate change resilient nation.
“Zimbabwe was among the first few countries to sign and ratify the climate change convention and has acceded to the Kyto Protocol.
“Addressing climate change requires close co-operation among all of us and we are grateful to our international partners for assisting with financial resources for this project we are launching today,” he said.
Mr Mudzamiri added that the increasing frequencies of climate extremes particularly drought and the shifting rainfall patterns were a major threat to sensitive sectors of the economy which include agriculture, energy, forestry, water and tourism which would consequently affect the Gross Domestic Product and livelihoods, especially in the rural communities.
He said it was critical for support to be channeled to marginalised communities to ensure that they were capacitated to adapt to extreme events particularly the agriculture based livelihoods.
He added that the project was in line with ZimAsset to achieve sustained self-sufficiency in food and nutrition in an ecologically changing environment.
“That is why we now have a full-fledged Climate Change Management department directed by Mr Washington Zhakata, which will effectively expedite the country’s climate change concerns.
“This project therefore has two components. One is to upscale adaptation with focus on rural livelihoods at community level and the other is to strengthen integrated planning systems at policy level,” he said.
Oxfam country director, Mr Jan Vossen said climate change was a major risk to any country’s developmental prospects and a global reality that was going to stay for a long time that needed immediate intervention.
“Climate change is high on the agenda of Oxfam in Zimbabwe and our strategic agenda in Southern Africa.
“We realised that one of the most severe risks that Zimbabwe is facing apart from its economic woes was the negative impact that climate change risks have on agriculture and hence on rural communities in Zimbabwe.
“Climate change had for a long time not been recognized as an important issue for development despite the fact that it was already negatively impacting on the development efforts of government and stakeholders.
“Therefore climate change adaptation has to be high on the strategic agendas of government and its development partners,” said Mr Vossen.
The scaling up climate change adaptation project manager from Oxfam, Dr Leonard Unganai said the project would target smallholder farmers but 70 percent would be women headed farmers.
He said the project was a follow-up to the 2008-2012 Coping with Drought and Climate Change UNDP funded programme in Chiredzi that worked with 2000 farmers focusing on how to deal with drought and impact of climate change.
Dr Unganai added that with experience from the UNDP funded Chiredzi programme the scaling up climate change adaptation project would primarily focus on how communities in the dry Region 5 could adapt to climate change especially when erratic rains plunge.
Online Reporter