Climate-smart agriculture gets boost

September 16, 2021

The five vehicles that will be used to support extension work to reach over 2.3 million small holder farmers with climate smart agriculture practises

Today, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement (MoLAFWRR) has received five vehicles towards building climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods.

The vehicles were handed over by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide mobility support to Ministry officials and extensions workers as they implement the seven-year Green Climate Funded project, which aims to build resilience to smallholder farmers exposed to the impacts of climate change. The project vehicles are aimed at advancing the national climate resilience building agenda, through increased mobility and monitoring of project interventions which have an ambition of  reaching an estimated  2,302,120 people.

In a statement read on her behalf, UNDP Resident Representative (a.i) Ms Madelena Monoja said “The support is intended to complement Government efforts in capacitating the Ministry to achieve the climate adaptation milestones as outlined in the country`s National Climate Response Strategies and Policies.” She added that “the vehicle support will enable partners in the provinces and districts to be present on the ground as they support 21 irrigation schemes to revitalize and climate-proof irrigation infrastructure.”

Receiving the vehicles on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Engineer Mutazu said “Despite this global pandemic, l commit and pledge all our support and participation and that the project implementation will be done with all efficiency and due diligence to improve the adaptive capacities and resilience of our vulnerable communities hard hit by the impacts of climate change”

As climate change takes its toll on the entire country, the impact is being experienced most intensely in the southern provinces, where most smallholder farmers are extremely vulnerable to increasing climate hazards because of poverty and weak access to services and institutional resources.

The Green Climate Fund project is being implemented in 15 Districts across three provinces of Manicaland (Buhera, Chimanimani & Chipinge), Masvingo (Bikita, Chivi, Chiredzi, Masvingo, Mwenezi and Zaka) and Matabeleland South (Beitbridge Gwanda, Insiza, Mangwe, Matobo and Umzingwane).

The project seeks to strengthen the vulnerable smallholder farmers, especially women, to adapt to climate change induced impacts on their agroecosystems and livelihoods. Activities will include revitalization of irrigation schemes, upgrading water and soil moisture management and water use efficiency, climate-resilient agriculture and improving access to climate information and markets.

Contacts:

Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement
Barbra Machekano, +263 773 847 213, barbsmute[a]gmail.com

United Nations Development Programme
Anesu Freddy, Communications Associate, +263 772 811 618, communications.zw[at]undp.org