Malawi lobbies for climate financing at COP 21

Non-governmental organisations of climate change have called on world leaders to fulfill their commitment of providing climate financing to Malawi ahead of the Conference of Parties (CoP 21) slated for November this year in France.

The annual conference is expected to attract different countries across the globe to discuss how they can manage climate change effects to enhance food production.

Speaking in Mulanje during a mobilisation campaign of women and youth, Oxfam country director John Makina said Malawi depends on agriculture, but climate change continues to affect women and youths who are directly involved in food production.

“Malawi is not the worst polluting country. However, climate change effects have not spared it. This is evidenced by the delays in rainfall and heavy floods which have continued decreasing crop production,” he said.

He said time has come for Malawi to look for other alternatives by lobbying world leaders to provide enough finances that could help the country to manage climate change, thereby adopting sustainable means in food production.

“Lobbying for climate financing from world leaders could minimise effects of climate change, thereby enabling women to [increase agricultural production],” said Makina.

Director for Eagles Relief and Development Programme, who is also a Right To Food advocate, Victor Mughogho, emphasised the need for climate change management and financing to enable women and youth in the country increase their production.

Mughogho said 70 percent of the country’s agricultural labour force is made up of rural women and youth.

“However, they lack climate financing to contain the effects of climate change that have a direct bearing on their food production.

“CoP 21 will, therefore, go a long way in helping rural farmers to have the right to food by building an inclusive green economy that is strong enough to lift people out of poverty and curb climate change,” he said.n