BY TRUST BVARANGA
EFFORT by climate activists in advocating for climate change policy at grassroots level is a noble idea. And this should be welcomed by women greatly since they are the ones on the receiving point mostly when climate induced disaster happen.
The issue of climate change has drawn the attention of government and Non-Governmental Organisations into a joint cooperation to reverse climate to normalcy. In Chimanimani and Chipinge, climate change is more understood by peasants due to the natural disasters that affected them since 2019 when tropical cyclones are hitting the region now and again.
Climate change has impacted the biodiversity negatively. Economically, it has exacerbated the brain drain, thus fueling unemployment due to destruction of agro businesses. Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe. The country has also experienced seasonal shift where the rain patterns are affected among other factors.
Heat waves are affecting Lowveld areas. With that in mind, climate activists saw it necessary to help craft policies that govern climate change at grassroots level.
The Climate Champions from Green Institute (GI), Refugee Coalition for Climate Action (RCCA), Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Forest Commission, Ministry of Local Governance (LGS) and traditional leadership held a workshop at Protea Lodge in Chipinge on 25 April to determine the best solutions and policies which can be implemented to restore the environmental pride in the two districts of Chipinge and Chimanimani with women taking a leading role.
During the same interface, it was revealed that village head Muwango has already paved way for climate action in his area of Mt Selinda where women and other villagers are introduced livelihood projects such as bee-keeping. Bee keeping fare well where there are forests.
It was also outlined that each district is being affected differently by climate change so what is affecting people in Chimanimani and Chipinge might be quite different from what other district are experiencing.
With more and more consultation, it hoped that climate policies for Chipinge-Chimanimani region shall be crafted and endorsed. It’s time for women to take a leading role!