National News

Norway concerned about climate change effects in Malawi

The Norwegian Government says it will continue supporting efforts to mitigate effects of climate change affecting smallholder farmers in Malawi.

Norway’s Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås said this at Khombeza in Salima on Monday during a signing ceremony of a K6.5 billion grant to the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (Nasfam).

 “The grant aims at changing the way farming is done; making certain that you are protecting the soil, making certain that you get more nitrogen into the soil so you can use less fertilisation because it is costly and to ensure better resilience in cases of drought,” said Holmås.

He, however, said Norway will continue to reduce its pollution and urged African governments to confront Western governments to follow suit.

 “We have developed a strategy to reduce our carbon emission, but at the same time we are obliged to support the countries that are feeling the strongest effects of climate change. That is why we are in Malawi and that is why we are backing smallholder farmers that are working together,” he said.

Nasfam board chairperson Jackson M’baya hailed the Norwegian Government for the grant.

“As farmers, we understand the valuable role that development partners like the Government of Norway have in turning around our situation. We value the support towards home-grown solutions…like legume seed multiplication and production, irrigation and winter cropping,” said M’baya.

As of 2006, Africa only contributed 3.6 percent of the global carbon emissions. Europe and North America are the major polluters.

Related Articles

Back to top button