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Rejoice Makoni Herald Correspondent
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy in Zimbabwe is working in partnership with the University of Zimbabwe by collecting information from those affected or potentially affected by climate change with the aim to study the impact of such change.
This is done as part of Zimbabwe’s preparations for the climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, UAE, at the end of this month. A banner made from 20 messages from Zimbabwean stakeholders across the country will be presented at the COP28 by UAE’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Jassim al Qasimi.
Zimbabwe has been fighting the effects of climate change, with Government working with farmers on ways to boost production by expanding access to mechanisation and irrigation, at times through public-private partnerships.
The range of programmes introduced by Government are to ensure farmers can continue to earn ever-better incomes while producing enough food for the country and their own families with surpluses going to export markets.
These programmes include Climate Proofed Presidential Inputs Support Scheme as well as National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme and the construction of dams, with Marowanyati being the latest, as ways to bolster agriculture production.
Dr al Qasimi said the COP28 summit would provide a global platform for groups affected by climate change to be heard.
“The banner was designed by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Harare and in cooperation with the University of Zimbabwe, through a survey study aimed at collecting data from various groups of the people of Zimbabwe, with the aim of arriving at their most important demands from the COP28 summit by collecting 20 messages from different groups of the people,” he said.
“Global climate change has had a severe impact on farmers and communities in rural areas of Zimbabwe, resulting in food insecurity, water scarcity, loss of livestock, and the negative impact of climate change on agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood for rural communities in Zimbabwe.”
Ambassador al Qasimi also joined the University of Zimbabwe in raising awareness about the dangers of veld fires by conducting a clean-up campaign along Arcturus Road as well as planting trees.
“We planted a number of trees as a way of sending a warning message about the dangers of burning agricultural lands after harvesting crops, which harms the environment and human and animal life,” he said.
“We also planted trees at the University of Zimbabwe, a move that was aimed at supporting the COP28 and cementing the bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and UAE.”
Online Reporter