Posted on August, 18, 2021 at 08:37 am
IN efforts to tackle impacts of climate change which are likely to paralyse the country's industrialization agenda, the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) has advised the government to come up with a robust national strategy for strengthening agriculture and local industrial development.
In its summary of policy newsletters released recently after researches that were conducted to help the government in policy issues, COSTECH further recommends that the government through the ministry of agriculture should ensure that there is availability of quality seeds which can overcome droughts as well as availability of pesticides, agricultural inputs and intensifying irrigation farming.
The advice emerged during a week-long training organised by the COSTECH in the capital city.
The training drew researchers from different sectors, so as to tap into the potential in using research data to advise the government on various policy issues which can help in planning for the country's development.
It meant for planners, policy and decision makers to use Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in practice and sharing selected evidence in different sectors.
Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA)'s Director of Research and Applied Meteorology, Dr Ladislaus Chang'a, who was presenting the summary of the findings said different researches suggest that the effects of climate in Tanzania continue extending its roots in different socio-economic sectors and that they expect to double because of an increasing pace in weather conditions.
"These researches show that in the past four decades, many areas have had indicators of temperature increase, whereas temperature at night is higher compared to temperature during the day," he said.
Dr Chang'a added that there have also been indicators that the rains are increasingly becoming scarce, while heavy downpour, floods and droughts have increased significantly.
Thus he said, researchers recommended that the government should intensify education programmes in the communities on the opportunities and challenges of climate change, as well as advising individuals,
Community Based Organisation and government institutions to participate in reducing indicators of climate change, including preserving the environment as outlined in the national strategy to curb climate change.
"We need also to intensify research on climate change systems and their impacts, research on proper seedlings which can sustain drought conditions as well as research to improve technology and innovation in improving productivity in all sectors," he said.
Speaking at the occasion, COSTECH Acting Director of Knowledge Management Dr Philbert Luhunga, underscored the need to use research findings to plan for the country's development as well as all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"We have seen that already there is political will in the current government, the challenge remains on researchers and policy makers that is why we are bringing researchers and policy makers together here to look at how best we can unlock the bottlenecks," said Dr Luhunga.
He added that COSTECH wants to see results of research findings being used in policy, strategic plans, guidelines, regulations and laws of the country.
Source: Daily News