Headmen in Chirundu take action against indiscriminate tree cutting

 

Roy Habasimbe - a headmans of Sikoongo area

Chirundu district is renowned for its high temperatures and low rainfall. But this scenario has been exacerbated by climate change and is bordering on becoming unbearable for both human and livestock if no interventions are made.

The District experienced only one month of rainfall during the 2022/2023 rain season and boreholes around the district are already drying up.

Livestock can be seem roaming in search of food and water; and farmers in the district have every right to be disturbed by what they are observing.

Roy Habasimbe is a farmer and village headman in an area called Sikoongo. He explained that in the last 7 years, he has observed a significant reduction in rainfall in the area.

“In 2019, our cattle were even dying of dehydration,” he lamented.

HEAD WOMAN JUSTINA PHIRI - AN ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE

Justina Phiri has been headwoman in Mumbulumba 

village for 15 years

Women in leadership positions in rural areas remains a wonder to see but their contributions to their communities often go un-acknowledged. This is because the increase in patriarchal attitudes disguised as cultural norms hinders women’s participation in leadership roles in rural areas.

Mumbuluma village is located in Luangwa district of Eastern province in Zambia. The area has 12 village headwomen and only 4 headmen. These women are also advocates for climate change interventions that their area is in dire need of. 

59-year-old Justina Phiri has been a headwoman in the area for the past 15 years. She explained that indiscriminate tree cutting for charcoal has led communities to observe the reduction of rainfall over the years and hence the need to conserve the environment was finally being taken seriously by rural communities. 

YOUTH FARMERS IN MPONGWE TAKE A CHANCE WITH YAMS

Yams pounded into meal and used to cook porridge 

WHEN youth think of lucrative employment, they usually fantasize about anything other than getting their hands dirty with soil or absorbing the scent of livestock. However, as the trends in entrepreneurship change due to changing the preferences among people, the need for food and nutrition remains constant. As such, farming continues to be the income generation which is guaranteed to have a constant clientele.

As youth unemployment remains a challenge worldwide, a significant number of youth are being compelled to be creative and take a leap into entrepreneurship. Musonda Katongo is 26 year old youth and member of a cooperative group that is generating a steady income from the production and processing of yams.

As yams are not our common staple food among the people of Zambia, opting to go into yam production entailed some amount of research and self-education was needed to ensure that the venture of yam production would guarantee a return on the cooperative’s investment.

EMPOWERED WOMEN, EMPOWER WOMEN: A STORY FROM CHIPATA, ZAMBIA

 

Gender inequality in agriculture remains evident among rural communities in Zambia. Cultural gender roles continue to hamper women farmers ’access to access to finance, inputs and training. However, closing gender gaps in agriculture has the potential to improve household food nutrition as well as increase household incomes of rural communities.

In Chipata district of Eastern province in Zambia, a smallholder farmer - Belita Phiri - pioneered the formation of a group called Eastern Women and Youth Empowerment aimed at supporting vulnerable women and children. The Association can be described as a conglomerate of women and youth groups that are striving to be self-sustainable.

 “Initially we didn’t feel the need register our group as a cooperative but the needs of the [vulnerable] children were growing,” Belita said.

She explained that the socio-economic statuses of the various groups were assessed to help ascertain the vulnerability of the group members as well as the impact that empowering their groups will have on their individual households.

Through the Eastern Women and Youth Empowerment, Belita has been mobilizing vulnerable but viable women groups to enhance their access to knowledge and livestock inputs.

EMPOWERING THE RURAL WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

 The roles of the African rural woman oscillate between being chief nutritionist, head chef, nurse in charge as well and in some cases, the sole provider.

Sharon Mutale provides extension services under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. She explains that most rural women continue to fall back in decision-making and access to credit.