Posted on February, 4, 2022 at 08:16 am
ENVIRONMENTALISTS from across East African Community member states have embarked on a'programme to educate Magu residents on how they can counter the impacts of climate change.
The National Training on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Catchment Management is part of a three-year (2019-2022) project whose main objective is to enhance climate change resilience of communities and their livelihoods system as well as ecosystems.
It is also aimed at bringing ecosystem and community based adaptation technologies to offset negative impacts of climate change.
The 520,000 US dollars project is funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) through Lake Victoria Basin.
"The project is piloting climate smart actions to the local communities and grassroots to achieve broader objectives.
The partner states are Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi," said the ACC-LVB Regional Manager, Dr Masinde Bwire, this week.
In Tanzania, the project is conducted only in Magu District.
The National ACC-LVB Coordinator from the Vice President's Office, Engineer Onespholy Kamukara said three water wells have been constructed and one rehabilitated to support irrigation farming. High-valued crops, mostly horticulture and rice are encouraged for productive agriculture, he said, adding that about 200 households around Lake Victoria are set to benefit from the project with women being prioritized.
"We have therefore a total of four water wells which are operated by the solar power.
The target is to make sure that over 200 hecters of land here in Magu are for high-valued crops," he said.
According to him, the farmers are showed of expertise assistance and education on how to go for productive agriculture while also preserving the environment.
They are also taught on rain water harvest, with infrastructures being installed at Ng'aya Secondary School, to serve as a sample.
According to Engineer Kamukara, tree planting is also part of the project in Magu, for environmental preservation.
The trees are also for fruits and beekeeping activities, wherein nearly 150 bee-hives have been made available for the project beneficiaries.
"Fruit tree nursery demonstration farm is at Busalanga primary school. We need people to engage in alternative economic activities and get used of climate change environment, while continue to fight the impacts," he said.
Gracing the event, Magu District Commissioner (DC), Mr Salum Kalli, urged the training participants to actually practice what they have learnt, given the fact that climate change impacts are mostly contributed by human socio economic activities.
Source: Daily News