FINANCING OF NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS (NDCs) TO CLIMATE CHANGE – HOW CAN ZAMBIA IMPROVE?By Natasha Mhango

Participants from various institutions gathered  for a CTA-sponsored
workshop in Chisamba to share ideas on climate change finance

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the core of the Paris Agreement at the 21^st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They include country-specific strategies and targets for reducing global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in a bid to address climate change. Zambia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) were submitted in 2015, and when Zambia ratified her  INDCs in December 2016, they became her NDCs. Zambia’s NDCs comprise both mitigation and adaptation measures. Here adaptation measures have strong mitigation components.

As a mitigation measure, Zambia committed herself to reduce her GHG emissions by about 47% from the 2010 baseline.

Crop Management is the Key

As researchers and agricultural technocrats continue to investigate how to scale-up the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices among small-scale farmers, a number of salient issues continue to arise.

Challenges in delivering extension services remain visibly difficult, and they present with them a ripple effect of other challenges such as low production and productivity.

Some advocate for the introduction of genetically modified crops as a viable solution to enhance food and nutrition security as an adaptation measusre. But Dr. Cousins Gwanama disagrees with this notion to a significant extent.

Dr. Gwanama is a crop scientist and lecturer at the Copperbelt University of Zambia. While he does not

ZAMBIA LAUNCHES HER SECOND NAIP

As Zambia prepares to submit its 2019 CAADP Biennial report on the progress she is making in meeting her commitments to the Malabo Declaration; a review of her first National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP) was launched in preparation for the development of the second NAIP.

The first NAIP (2014-2018) was aimed at facilitating and supporting the development of a sustainable, dynamic, diversified and

MUSIKA & UNZA IN MoU TO INTRODUCE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS TRAINING AT UNZA

L to R: Dr Benson Chishala -UNZA Dean School of Agriculture, Prof Luke Mumba -UNZA Vice Chancellor and Mr Reuben Banda - MUSIKA Executive Director 

For certain approaches in agribusiness to be practical, the link between education and the agricultural sector needs to be reinforced. It is also one way to make the agricultural sector attractive to the youth,by enabling their capacity to identify the multitude of entrepreneurship opportunities that are available in the sector.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population in the world which is predicted to double from 126 million (as of 2010 statistics) to 265 million by 2050. Furthermore African labour markets are unable to absorb their growing young population.

How Can Zambia Engage Small-scale Farmers in the Implementation of Its NDCs?

 A CTA-sponsored workshop held in Chisamba to engage stakeholders in how best Zambia can finance the implementation of her NDCs

The observed decreases in crop production in the 2019 crop forecast survey caused by adverse weather conditions, indicates the urgency to implement adaptation and mitigation measures stipulated in the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to climate change. The sustainability and growth of the agricultural sector now depends on the ability to generate profit amidst the effects of climate change.

Farming is a business

'ZAMBIA FOOD SECURE UNTIL NEXT FARMING SEASON,' AGRICULTURE MINISTER SAYS

Minister of Agriculture-Michael Katmabo (3rd from the left) presenting the 2019 crop forecast survey report

Despite the poor rainfall experienced in the Southern, Western and part of Lusaka provinces, Agriculture Minister, Michael Katambo, has assured Zambians that the country is food secure until the next farming harvest in 2020.

During his announcement of the country’s crop forecast survey for the 2018/2019 farming season, Mr. Katambo acknowledged the impact of the long dry spell that occurred between January and March 2019; and he added that the greatest threat to food security was the illegal export of mealie meal especially on the Copperbelt province.

FOOD-BASED DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR ZAMBIA - HOW FAR ARE WE?

A little over a year ago, Zambia, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) embarked on establishing National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) in an effort to address issues of malnutrition. A taskforce comprising of experts from key line government ministries as well as some civil society organizations that are involved in nutrition, was established to establish comprehensive food-based dietary guidelines specifically for Zambia.

This multi-sectoral food-based approach entails promoting dietary diversification composed of foods that are indigenous and easily accessible in Zambia.