Project drills farmers on  climate change policies

The Civil society network on climate change (Cisonecc) and Development Aid from People to People (Dapp) have rolled out a joint initiative that seeks to drill farmers on National Climate Change Management Policy and governance.

Speaking during a training of lead farmers in Dowa on Wednesday, Dapp’s Partnership Manager Enock Juma  said the initiative will deepen the farmers knowledge on climate change impact and mitigating measures.

The venture is part of Enhancing Access and Participation in Climate Change Policy Development and Implementation Project.

Its goal is to capacitate communities to take a leading role in the development, implementation, and monitoring of climate change actions.

Juma said the pilot project, currently at pilot stage,  targets to reach out to 1 000 smallholder farmers on climate change.

“We know the policies are developed in the offices at central government and mostly they don’t involve the communities when they are developing the policies so this project is trying to find out how the policies being developed are being implemented,” he said.

Juma further stated that through the training of the lead farmers they have learned that most farmers are not aware of the climate change policies.

“The general picture that we’re getting is that most of the participants were not aware of the policies and what happens is that we just come in with projects on climate change but the people on the ground are not aware,” he said.

Juma further remarked that the trained local farmers will act as focal points in organising meetings with others providing information on policies.

Balaka, Dowa, Neno and Nkhatabay are some of the areas where the project is being implemented.

In an interview, a lead farmer Monica Chisi from Mazi village Traditional Authority Msakambewa said the  training was critical as it will empower the farmers with  solutions.

“I think the most important thing is that we farmers needs to adapt and adopt techniques that can help us produce more amidst climate change,” she said.

The National Climate Change Management Policy affirms government’s commitment to fully address climate change  through adaptation and mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building.