SustainZim - Issue 13 by SustainZim

NO T

SA L

QUARTER 04 ISSUE 13 / 19

ENERGY

The World Goes Green As Africa Launches 1st Electric Cars

CONSERVATION

Belongs to 03 Ivory Elephants

SUSTAINABILITY

WILDLIFE

Environmental consciousness in a highly charged sociopolitical climate

The Wildlife Summit Take Away Points from Community Perspectives, From Youth Lens.

F E AT U R E

Cyclone Idai ravages Chimanimani in a single night Page 6

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E D I TOR I A L

NO T

QUARTER 04 ISSUE 13 / 19

WILDLIFE

SUSTAINABILITY

CONSERVATION

Ivory Belongs to 03 Elephants

Environmental consciousness in a highly charged sociopolitical climate

ENERGY

The World Goes Green As Africa Launches 1st Electric Cars

The Wildlife Summit Take Away Points from Community Perspectives, From Youth Lens.

The World Goes Green As Africa Launches 1st Electric Cars By Nevson Mpofu

F E AT U R E

Cyclone Idai ravages Chimanimani in a single night Page 6

SustainZim is a publication that promotes a green culture within Zimbabwean homes, schools, work places and everyday lives. It aims to step up the fight against Global Warming and Climate Change by raising awareness about the need to reduce our carbon footprint and a push towards sustainable development. It will showcase green initiatives already being done by government, civil society groups, companies and individuals. PARTNERING We are available to work as implementing partners for projects in Zimbabwe. Get in touch if you would like to partner with us sustainzim@povoafrika.org PUBLISHERS POVOAfrika Trust (MA0001023/2015) ZIM - Harare +263 77 228 3186 / +263 77 291 8810, 1 Verona Gardens, 70 Livingstone Ave RSA - Johannesburg +27 72 600 5283 / +27 760999770 210 Klein Drakenstein, 31 Snipe Street, Horizon, 1724, Roodepoort CONTRIBUTE contribute@sustainzim.org ADVERTISING A rate sheet is available on request ZIM +263 77 291 8810 / +263 77 228 3186 RSA +27 72 600 5283 / +27 760999770 Email: advertise@sustainzim.org Limited Space Available! KEY PERSONNEL EDITOR Archibald Mathibela PROJECT COORDINATOR Raymond Muwaniri DESIGN AND LAYOUT Baynham Goredema FINANCE DIRECTOR Rodrick Longwe CARTOONIST Tafadzwa Tarumbwa DISCLAIMER SustainZim is published by POVOAfrika Trust. The information, opinions and views set out in this journal are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of POVOAfrika Trust nor any of their partners. Neither POVOAfrika Trust nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. Neither are they responsible for citing references within articles, stated facts or credits to photos supplied, this is the responsibility of the contributor. Rights to the photographs and articles remain with the photographers and with the authors respectively. Contact them respectively for reproduction. While all care has been taken during proofing, errors and omissions may slip through and we sincerely apologise for these.

Rwanda on 28 October 2019 launched the 1 st Volkswagen Electric Cars in Kigali. Volkswagen Rwanda launched this in conglomeration with Germany Multi-National Conglomerate Company. Siemens provides e-Golf charging solutions. After fully charged, the car travels 230 kilometres. This is the 1st of its kind in Africa.

aunching the 1st Technology of its kind, Prime-Minister of Rwanda Eduardo Ngirente said Africa has come out of age in terms of Technology. He highlighted that Africa is now ahead and moving with time looking at the fact that Africa takes Technology fast like the developed World. He added that there is now hope that the Green Revolution is a sure case of success. He said if the number of cars increase by 2025, pollution may be reduced by almost 40%. Besides, he adds that air pollution effects will one day become thing of the past. Air Pollution is hazardous to Health. It contributes to Lung cancer, cardiovascular and Tuberculosis diseases. ‘’A frica is now towards a Green Revolution. The World itself now goes green. The main concern has been centred on the Environment. Protecting the Environment is more than anything we do in a dynamic World. Our Environment goes Green. Africa and the World now needs to promote the new Technology, save energy sources like bio-mass and the natural environment. ‘’The new Technology makes us achieve on Energy and Environment Goals. There are Goals we need to achieve by 2030 as Africa. Now that we have new Technology, we have to achieve the Goals. We have the Sustainable Development Goals of reducing hunger and poverty. The need to improve on increase in Sustainable Energy is vital. There is also need of promoting Health and Education and the idea of Building Better Cities and Communities’’. Volkswagen Rwanda Director Michaella Rugw iz ango go said the coming of the new technology is a direct positive challenge for Energy Sustainability, SustainableEnvironment management and Economic Motor development especially in the developing World like Africa. He emphasised that the kind of Technology fosters Economic Growth. ‘’This is an issue of Energy development of which its development is saviour to the development, protection and preservation of the natural-

Env ironment. Env ironment al development is linked to Energy sources. Energy grows out of the development of the Environment. If there is no sustainable Environment then Energy sources are dead.’’ Siemens –East Africa Director Sabine Dall Omo said time is around for Africa to rise and shine. This is unique development that will reduce, eradicate and by 2050, if well managed eliminate problems of fuel in some countries like Zimbabwe. ‘’This is unique to Africa in the sense that we serve our source on earth. The served sources save future generations during times of shortage of electricity. Energy is concern of demand in the developing World. It is now time for us to move Green towards a New Fourth Generation Revolution’’ Energy Expert from NOCZIM, Jacob Murahwa contacted for a brief interview said this will save already sources of energy which we do not have in our country. He said first of all it is a blessing to countries like Zimbabwe which has energy and power challenges. ‘’I am talking about Oil resources. We have challenges known but they must come to an end by 2025. We have to preserve what must be used in times of hydro-power shortages like we are in now. This is a great development.’’, he said.

Toyota Zimbabwe Director Richard Mugodi said the launch is blessing to the Motor Industry which produce 13% carbon emissions in Africa. He said the increase of cars is a challenge in the World looking at carbon emissions leading to Global Warming, Climate Change, Elnina and lanina . The developed World produces more than 30%. Green House Gases have led to the increase and extreme escalation of ClimateChange. ‘’ The total number of cars in the World has reached 3 and half billion. The Green Revolution is on the way without doubt. It will mean time to solve and end Health problems of pollution. Saving energy sources is inevitable and sustenance of the environment is real,’’ he concludes. The World is moving towards a Green Revolution by supporting the development of some other kind of cars like the Solar Power Vehicles, use of Diesel 50. There is also need to move from Diesel 50 to Diesel 10 close by 2020. Nevson Mpofu who was in Kigali in October on consultancy Is a Development Studies Lecturer, published Writer and Media Practitioner. nmnevsonmpofu755@gmail.com

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C ON S E RVAT I ON

Ivory Belongs to Elephants By Blessed Gundo, Professional Hunter/ Guide

ne of my biggest role models is my mother who currently works as a national facilitator for a NGO which deals with the homeless people of Zimbabwe. She presents her work in a simple manner that everyone can understand and this has greatly influenced me, and I have applied her style and work ethic as my own in conversation Shortly after college, I worked as a jump master in Victoria Falls. It was a job I thoroughly enjoyed as I could spend time with travelers and speak to them about Zimbabwe and the importance of maintaining and preserving our national heritage. This past summer, I received my Professional Hunter/ Guide license, which will enable me to fulfill my passion of working in conversation. I currently run a wildlife club called the “Herentals Wildlife Conservation Club, which I formed early this year. “Herentals allows me the opportunity to visit schools and different communities where I talk about the importance of stopping the trade and selling of elephant’s part, ivory, and poaching. In 2019, I was honored to be a participant in a 580kms walk titled “Ivory Belongs to Elephants Campaign, which brings the message of elephant protection down to the grassroots level-to Africa’s childrenas they will be the future protectors of our wildlife, and heritage. It goes without questions that the elephant population is in a lot of trouble and under tremendous pressure. They have the longest pregnancy of any mammal at 22 months and will deliver only one calf every two to four years. This does not allow them to give birth and raise a calf at a sustainable rate. Elephants walk long distances to forage, needing lots of space to roam. They are under threat with human encroachment on their ancestral paths, trophy hunting, poaching for their tusks. The list is endless Without elephants, planet Earth would suffer dire consequences. These iconic creatures of Africa are a keystone species and play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live. They have a complex, social structure that we humans need to start understanding and accept as fact. Elephants are not unfeeling,

The real turning point for me came when I had the opportunity to visit the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust which was established in 2008 by Wild Horizons (an established safari tourism operator) that invests in wildlife rehabilitation and rescue

uncaring mammals. They live in large herds of mostly females (males will go off on their own at around 14 years of age and most will remain solitary, except for mating, or form a “bachelor herd”). The herds will consists of moms, aunties, grannies, cousins all who will care for each other for their entire lives. Even if members of a herd break off, they will remain close. In the animal kingdom, elephant moms are the most dedicated and protective of their young, and all will trumpet in delight at the birth of a calf. The herd is so intertwined that if one member falls behind, they all fall behind. They walk as one. Even in death, elephants pay respects to their dead. While there really isn’t an “elephant graveyard” so to speak, it has been well documented that when elephants come upon the remains of the dead, they remain quiet, touch the body and/or bones, pick the bones up and stay with the remains for long period of time. Even the youngsters are encouraged to participate in this ritual.

In school my favorite subject was Accounting, which had nothing to do with nature or wildlife. Honestly, as a youngster (growing up in Victoria Falls) I was afraid of wild animals as I knew them to be dangerous and aggressive. On multiple occasions, my family’s crops were destroyed be elephants foraging for food. At the time, all I could think of was that these elephants were eating was my food and running my family’s livelihood! I was difficult to imagine that humans and elephants could possibly co-exit. All that changed when I was around 21. It was then that I started taking the opportunity to read about elephants and watch different nature programs that featured elephants. My family supported my new-found passion and listened, allowed me to educate them about these amazing pachyderms and the reasons why they would come and destroy ours crops. They needed to feed their families too! I am pleased to say, with their openness and willingness to listen, their attitudes have changed about elephants and wildlife in general

At VFWT, visitors are given the opportunity to interact with a small herd of elephants (in the 1980’s these elephants were part of a culling program, but thankfully, their lives were spared). It is very hard to describe that I was always taught to fear, that I was deadly afraid of. Some of residents are “Jock”, “Jack”, “Miz Ellie”, “Emily”, and “ Thandie”. Each were led in a single file by their handler to a large platform, or deck, where visitors and elephants “meet” each other. It was with great trepidation and difficulty, but I mustered the courage and stroked Thandie’s head” and in return, he used her trunk to see who this stranger standing in front of her was. The second part of the interaction if for the herd to be moved into a feeding area. Guests and elephants are separated by a wood split-rail fence and provided the proper, dietary ”treats” for the elephants. My handler instructed me to give Thandie the command work of “trunk up”. At that point, she lifted her large trunk, and I tossed the pellets into her mouth! After that moment, I no longer feared these mighty beasts, but was humbled and determined to do I could to ensure their survival for generations to come

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I heard you have new developments on the farm? Yes, I have started ‘fish farming’ and ‘water harvesting’. This is a ‘contour pond’ 200m2 and already has fingerlings inside. You can also find seepage ponds.

How do you feed the fish and how long till you harvest them? I put manure in the bottom of the pond to encourage algae to grow which the fish can eat, I also supplement with fish pellets. I can harvest after 4 months when the fish mature. Yes, it’s not expensive at all. The fish bring much needed protein to my family’s diet and I can sell some for an income. Let me show you my other project.

Can I afford this and what are the benefits?

Why are you collecting rain water? Well, we had a lot of rain this year so why let it go to waste and runoff. I can store this water and use it in the dry season for my fish pond and irrigation, among other uses. Who taught you all this?

I googled ‘green projects’ and the other information I got from the new Agricultural Extension officer. He is holding a training tomorrow, you can join me?

Training worksh held by the Agr op in the community hall icultural Exten sion officer Are there any other green projects we can get into?

Oh yes,

there are plenty of green projects that benefit the environment and can bring a source of income. Give us examples! Fish ponds, zero grazing, conservation farming, water harvesting, afforestation, eco-tourism, producing wood pellets and briquettes from sawdust. But we need rural electrification! There are other ways to get electricity; solar, wind, hydro and biogas. All these are renewable and do not harm the environment. We need more information and trainings! It’s my job to help you, so use me wisely. There are also organisations you can contact that are dedicated to saving our environment while improving livelihoods. Fish farming helps preserve the wild stocks which are under pressure from overfishing and polluted waters. For more information on how to start fish farming please contact Aquaculture.

Water harvesting collects rain water and prevents runoff, this water can therefore be used in the dry season for different purposes. In deforested areas, runoff is causing soil erosion and deep gullies which are ruining the landscape and becoming hazardous.

*Fingerlings – baby fish / Contour pond – dug on dry land / Seepage pond - built where water naturally occurs

Illustrator: Tafadzwa Tarumbwa Written by: Raymond Muwaniri

These are water harvesting tanks I have filled with rain water.

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S USTA I N A B I L I T Y

Environmental consciousness in a highly charged socio-political climate By Nyasha Frank Mpahlo, Green Governance Trust

Today, Zimbabwe continues to experience high levels of poverty, unemployment, political instability and some other hurdles to development that make the regard for the environment the least of priorities at both government and societal levels.

he nation which currently faces seemingly intractable socioeconomic and political problems has some of the worst environmental indicators in the world with some of the bio-diversity in decline or under severe threat. For instance, the nation currently faces the highest levels of deforestation of due to increased load shedding. The countries wetlands in urban societies are also being engulfed by the expanding suburbs which are mushrooming beyond the control of urban housing authorities. In recent years, the country has witnessed continued desertification, soil and water pollution, slash and burn agriculture resulting in soil erosion and siltation of rivers, primarily as a result of unregulated and uncontrolled re-settlement of people in spaces that were earmarked for commercial farming. In the natural habitat, the nation has been plagued by poaching and unorthodox hunting patterns which have wiped the national wildlife conservancy, notably at the hands of political elites and their Asian counterparts. Moreover, the expan sion of Zimbabwe cities has reversed the country’s efforts to preserve wetlands, forests and biodiversity as enshrined in section (4) of the Environmental Management Act. Notwithstanding the Illegal panning of natural resources and unmonitored resource extraction of established firms that has contributed to environmental degradation, water and air pollution due to lack of accountability mechanisms. How then can we explain this myriad of irresponsible actions against the environment in the face of climate change? Perhaps it’s poor planning, negligence, lack of knowledge and capacity or rather – bad governance? Biriwasha (2008) notes that, in a situation of bad governance as being experienced in Zimbabwe; while the resulting poverty, hunger and strife grab world attention; the environment is usually the silent victim or consequence. The Environmental Democracy

to deal with environmental issues, disparities in economic and political power and a lack of knowledge and awareness among communities (Brundtland, 1987). Corruption aggravates these conditions. Given this analogy, corruption in Zimbabwe has increased the potential for abuse and exacerbated the level of damage incurring. Therefore good governance is essential for the country and its societies to avoid being undermined by corruption. It is true that a country that upholds good governance in general has the potential of observing environmental governance. Therefore environmental governance should be observed through the way in which different social, economic and political institutions collectively manage the environment.

Index 2015 (EDI) reveals that the Zimbabwe’s constitution contains no legal obligation to disseminate information to the public to take preventive action in the face of imminent threat of harm to the environment with a score of (0) out of (3). The Natural Resource Governance Institute also highlights that Zimbabwe’s broader socio-political environment hinders transparency and accountability in the extractive sector through the lack of rule of law, virtually scoring (6) out of 100 in that category. However what is more worrying is the role that corruption plays in environmental degradation and the consistent negative positioning of the country on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception index that paints a gloomy path towards fighting environmental degradation. The point of departure when discussing the intersection of the environment and corruption is to establish that resource depletion and environmental degradation arise from inadequate institutions

A significant cross-section of Zimbabwe’s society is involved in environmental corruption, knowingly or unknowingly, with cases being recorded at petty and grand levels. It also extends to aberration through illegal behavior, and actions that may be unethical but are protected by the law. On the one hand, petty level environmental corruption involves bribing of public officials from authorities such as EMA and ZRP to allow illegal cutting down of trees for tobacco curing in areas such as Hurungwe, Bindura and Mutoko. On the other hand, grand corruption involves governmental officials in decision-making positions demanding bribes for illegal activities by private corporations or individuals, such as Chinese companies to do construction on wetlands, the case of Longshen. Probably the Chisumbanje Bio-Oil plant would serve as a great example of rent seeking, where private companies induce government officials to make decisions that generate additional profits for additional profit (rents). This does not go without saying that the nation has instituted laws and regulations to ensure the protection of the environment. The recognition of the environment as a vital component to development goes back to as early as 1968 when Zimbabwe (then

Rhodesia) became a Zimbabwe is signatory of the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Lately, Zimbabwe has entered into regional and sub-regional environmental treaties and conventions as a demonstration of its commitment to preserve the environment as basic human rights. Of special mention is the Paris agreement, which is the first ever legally binding climate change convention. The presence of the Forest Commission and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) also indicate some political commitment by the country to protect the environment. Zimbabwe needs leaders who are conscientious about the need to preserve the environment as a major, if not central, component of sustainable development. Political leaders and policy makers need to wake up and take advantage of the existing policy and legal frameworks; and the expertise that exists to enforce environment laws in Zimbabwe. This also requires the ability of leaders to see the complex relationships that exist among sociopolitical and economic issues in the country; and the environment. A leadership that is concerned about the existence of the next generation can only understand the importance of preserving the environment. A clearer understanding of the need for an actionable climate change mitigation plan is also important if Zimbabwe is to achieve sustainable development and a better future for its next generation. Green Governance Trust (Greengov) is a non-governmental organization working in Zimbabwe to promote sustainable environmental management through advancing citizen inclusion and participation in natural resources management. The organization engages in community sensitization, policy advocacy, litigation and quality research designed to contribute towards transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources and biodiversity. GreenGov is driven by the need to promote the democratization and transparent administration of natural resources. GreenGov is a convener and information dissemination center, providing common ground for debate on important environmental, climate and natural resource management issues.

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F E AT U R E

Cyclone Idai ravages Chimanimani in a single night By Baynham Goredema

yclone Idai made landfall near Beira city, Mozambique, on March 14, 2019, as a Category 2 storm. Heavy rains and strong winds led to flash flooding, hundreds of deaths, and massive destruction of property and crops. Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi were the hardest hit countries with over 2 million people affected by what is the worst natural disaster to hit southern Africa in at least two decades.

BE F O RE | July 2016

In the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe it set off landslides that have altered the landscape. Officials in Zimbabwe estimate that more than 2 250 houses were washed away or damaged, leaving more than 4 000 people displaced. Entire sections of settlements have completely disappeared, with massive rocks where houses had stood. The bodies of their occupants were washed away into Mozambique by the floodwaters. The government of Zimbabwe was a bit slow on their response despite early warnings that the storm would affect Zimbabwe. Citizens however responded to this disaster in a commendable way. In June we set off on a trip to Ndakopa. And used the Wengezi route. Shortly after we turned at the Wengezi turn off, from the Mutare Masvingo highway we started seeing signs of the effects of the storm. Rivers that showed they had flooded their banks and bridges that had been washed away. This devastation was most acute when we cam up to the Nyahode river which burst its banks and flooded the Rusitu Valley where it met with the Rusitu river. A whole community was swept away over night. Rescue missions were carried out by the army to rescue people who had come to higher ground. That fateful night members of the community we talked to recounted the scenes that played

out. Screams were heard in the night as people were stranded and as the water rose they were swept away. Some found refuge at the local police station but as the storm raged on the police station and all it inhabitants were swept away! There were a few abnormalities about this storm as the community had never experienced such! The winds were heard from afar and roared up the valley in a swirl of heavy rain. All we spoke to agreed that there were two main swellings of water that swept down the valley. The first wave came and people climbed trees to escape, some were rescued at this time, but the second wave came and washed those trees away too. There were explosions that were heard during the storm. Accounts also suggest that water was also exploding from underground!

We travelled from Mutare to Chimanimani a trip that took us over 4 hours using what we termed at the ‘scenic route’, which was the Chimanimani through Wengezi route. The roads were still quite bad and there was a lot of negotiating and the new road went through tea estates. Just after Wengezi turn off the effects of the cyclone are quite visible with small bridges washed away but once we got to the Nyahode river we saw the real extent of the damage which got worse the closer we got to Ndakopa, which was the most ravaged by the storm. All along the river there are visible signs of landslides leaving gaping wounds on the mountainsides. On our way back we used the Birchnough Bridge route which showed little to no signs of the storm and the road was not affected. It took us an hour and thirty minutes to get back to Mutare.

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F E AT U R E

Nyahode River upstream just before the river spills out into the Rusitu Valley

Shops left in a precarious position at the edge of the eroded banks.

These white arrows on the boulders indicate where sniffer dogs picked up the scent of buried corpses.

AFT ER | June 2019

Tents which housed people are still up a with no clear plan as to when and if they will be relocated to a more dignified abode.

These boulders are whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left of what used to be a small settlement including a police station which was wiped away.

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F E AT U R E

What remains of the bridge this was more than 100 metres from where the bridge was originally.

At one stage the water that was coming out was hot! Sadly aide that was meant for the victims became a political tool and didn’t reach the intended recipients. Some donors were turned away because they didn’t follow the set ‘protocol‘. When children finally went back to school they were still traumatised by the events as many had lost friends and family. The community at Ndakopa were told to leave the area and relocate to

The Green Snippets Zimbabweans struggle to recover from Cyclone Idai devastation Torrential rain and sustained winds of up to 190km per hour flattened the low-lying area between Beira in Mozambique and the Zimbabwean border. It set off landslides in the Zimbabwe highlands that have altered the landscape. [Source: https://www.news24.com/Africa/Zimbabwe/ pics-zimbabweans-struggle-to-recover-from-cyclone-idaidevastation-20190417]

a safer area but there was no plan for their relocation. Up to today over nine months after the storm the community feel they have been neglected and those in temporary shelters are still there with no plan to get them alternative accommodation. There were many social media campaigns to assist schools to rebuild, and to cloth the affected, but the governments readiness for such a disaster left a lot to be desired. Oddly enough one question I wanted to know

More than 200 elephants in Zimbabwe die as drought crisis deepens Hundreds of elephants and tens of lions in Zimbabwe will be moved by the country’s wildlife agency as part of a major operation to save the animals from a devastating drought. More than 200 elephants have died over the last two months due to a lack of water at the country’s main conservation zones in Mana Pools and Hwange National Park. Residents of Jutshume village, near to Hwange National Park, shared a video of an elephant calf that had fallen into a well last month after desperately searching for water. Residents managed to rescue the calf, which later fled into the wild, but believe its leg was broken in the process. [Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/12/drought-kills-morethan-200-elephants-in-zimbabwe]

Cyclone Idai death toll climbs to 268 in Zimbabwe In a further blow to Zimbabwe’s struggling economy, business in the area, including tourist resorts and coffee, timber and banana plantations, were also razed. Briefing journalists after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the death toll was expected to rise further. [Source: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2019-04-02cyclone-idai-death-toll-climbs-to-268-in-zimbabwe/]

DROUGHT

Zimbabweans pushed to the brink in the face of drought and economic meltdown Millions of people in Zimbabwe are on the brink of starvation as the southern African country struggles with relentless drought and the impact of cyclones, against a backdrop of years of economic decline. “Within weeks the country may run out of maize, the staple food,” said Verity Johnson of CAFOD. “At best there will be further massive hikes in food prices for an already desperate population, who have seen the price of maize meal [flour] increase five-fold since the beginning of the year. There are severe bread shortages across the country. Where it can be found, a loaf of bread in Zimbabwe now costs up to fifteen times more than it did a year ago. In the struggle to feed their children, parents are going without themselves.” [Source: https://reliefweb.int/report/zimbabwe/zimbabweans-pushedbrink-face-drought-and-economic-meltdown

The worst drought in 40 years is driving Zimbabwe’s parched land into crisis and climate change is at the heart of it We drove for miles and miles through what felt like a climate change wilderness - a parched desert where nothing grows. Most of rural Zimbabwe is now without crops, without livestock and without water. The land is like sand - and the millions trying to live off it are on the brink of starvation. This country was once the breadbasket of Southern Africa - but now climate change combined with bad farming practice and wider economic problems have turned it into an arid desert. This drought, the worst in 40 years, is causing food insecurity across all of Southern Africa with several countries fearing next year will bring, not just widespread hunger, but famine. [Source: https://www.itv.com/news/2019-12-02/food-crisis-in-zimbabwe-as-thecountry-endures-its-worst-drought-in-40-years/]

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

C reating a sustainable future with technological innovation and skills development Corporate Social Responsibility has long been an “evolving” business practice. Today more corporates are realising the value of creating shared value to address social inequalities, and are investing in initiatives that will have socioeconomic and environmental impact beyond mere philanthropy. This year, General Electric (GE) is celebrating 120+ Years in Africa by examining the impact it’s had across its business operations. Fatima Moosa spoke to Lee Dawes, GE Steam Power chief executive and regional leader for sub-Saharan

An idea of just how big the boulders in the valley are. I am 1.6 metres tall

about, came with the same answer each time. Would you have moved if the government had warned that they needed to evacuate the area because of a pending storm? They all answered in the negative. “We are used to such storms, some which you would find odd ,we find normal here in Rusitu valley. We would not have believed it could be any different. But this was something we have never witnessed before! “ What made the situation much worse was the fact that this happened in the

dead of night and the rapid rising of the waters surprised many hence many were caught unawares as water gushed into homes. Most bodies were washed away into Mozambique never to be seen or retrieved with people unable to bury their family members.

Africa, on the company’s commitment towards supporting sustainable development through technological innovation, skills development and localisation.

FLOODS

https://mg.co.za/article/2019-12-12-creating-a-sustainable-future-withtechnological-innovation-and-skills-development

UN Invites Candidates to Draft 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report The UN Secretariat has invited UN Member States to nominate scientists to draft the 2023 edition of the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR). The group of authors will be composed in January 2020. The Independent Group of Scientists to draft the report is expected to include 15 experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General. Nominations can be submitted to DESA by 20 December 2019. In July 2016, UN Member States agreed that the GSDR would become a quadrennial report drafted by an independent group of scientists (IGS), supported by a task team of six UN entities: the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Bank. [Source: http://sdg.iisd.org/news/un-invites-candidates-to-draft-2023-globalsustainable-development-report/]

Here’s how countries might actually reach the UN sustainable development goals When most of the world adopted the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) four years ago, it was well understood that they came with an enormous price tag. Policymakers knew that aid alone would never be able to meet the financing needs of development. But the SDGs were accompanied by the optimistic “billions to trillions” vision, in which many believed that an abundance of commercially-viable SDG-related investments were ready and waiting for trillions in profitable private investment—if only development finance institutions (DFIs) and others could clear away the obstacles that stood between those opportunities and private investors. [Source: https://qz.com/1761270/are-the-uns-sustainable-development-goalsrealistic/]

Now the rainy season is upon us again and people are still vulnerable to the elements. The huge boulders have effectively changed the course of the Nyahode river.

Rain causes havoc as flash floods hit Potch, Gauteng on alert The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a flood warning for parts of Gauteng due to persistent rain that has brought traffic on the N12 between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp to a standstill. Gauteng and other inland provinces have been experiencing high levels of rainfall since Wednesday. According to Mbavhi Maliage from the SAWS, rainfall in Gauteng over the past few days have heightened the risk for flooding, however, there have been no reports of such incidents yet [Source: https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/rain-causeshavoc-as-flash-floods-hit-potch-gauteng-on-alert-20191208]

ENERGY

Eskom’s woes force Zimbabwe to escalate power cuts Zimbabwe’s state-owned Zesa Holdings has escalated electricity cuts to as long as 24 hours after losing power imports from Eskom while its local generation capacity remains critically constrained. The power utility has a non-binding agreement to import as much as 400MW of power from Eskom Holdings, which is unable to meet local demand and has implemented rolling blackouts now in their sixth day. Zimbabwe has been experiencing daily outages of as much as 18 hours daily, partly because a drought has slashed its hydropower supply. The situation is worsened by frequent breakdowns at its main thermal power station, Hwange. Faced with acute foreign currency shortages and piles of foreign and local debt, Zimbabwe has been struggling to pay for power supplied by Eskom and by the Cahora Bassa hydro plant. [Source: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2019-12-10eskoms-woes-force-zimbabwe-to-escalate-power-cuts/]

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MINING

Environmental services: A case study of the environmental challenges in mining sector, Zimbabwe By Blessing Mugaviri

The mining sector is seen both as a driver for socio-economic development and for environmental damages as a result of the extraction of minerals. The impacts on the environment brought by mining activities and the importance of mining to other industries demonstrate the need for the analysis of such sector, promoting its development under the assumptions of sustainable development.

ith the growing population in Zimbabwe, the mining sector has strong and direct environmental impacts. With the growing trade in mining operations , mining companies often work directly with the most vulnerable populations and can dramatically alter the natural surroundings in the places they work, and have the potential to make volatile economies even more unstable. This paper explores on the environmental sustainability challenges associated with mining sector in Zimbabwe. The researcher explored on issues to do with biodiversity, pollution, water management and the practical measures to address the challenges associated with them such as, holistic integrated approach and government intervention through implementation of policies.

Environmental Challenges in the mining s Mines are hubs of air pollution in Zimbabwe. The mining sector is extremely energ y-intensive and one of the major emitters of greenhouse gasses. It is also widely accepted that available mining resources are getting deeper and of declining grades. In Zimbabwe the older mines such as Trojan Nickel (Bindura), Renco Mine (Masvingo) and How Mine (Bulawayo) and others are now deep mines which demand more consumption of non-renewable energy sources. According to Ruttinger and Sharma (2016) this will lead to growing demands for water and generation of greater mine waste, thereby raising energy demands, and increasing the industry’s climate footprint. Monitoring the industry’s carbon emissions and the recent success in climate negotiations (Ruttinger and Sharma ,2016) will increase pressure on mining companies to explore ways to reduce their emissions by using renewable energies. One of the greatest challenges associated with mining in Zimbabwe i s biodiversity loss through deforestation, since there is massive deforestation during preparatory stages. As noted by CRD (2012) when the diamond mining companies started operating at Chiadzwa there was an increased use of wood

because of the influx of people into the area with no other source of fuel energy. The greatest deforestation however was caused by the mining companies as they effectively cleared large tracks of land in order to expose the diamond ore. One can also note that it is not only for diamond mining but, for every mining activity to take off, they clear the land as they create roads and expose the land to increase accessibility (Gomez et al, 2013). Such a substantial loss of biodiversity will often reduce the wildlife inhabitants of the affected area. According to Chiwandamira (2007) without a place for birds to build their nests, antelopes and other animals to create their homes in hidden areas within forests, animals are left with few survival options other than emigration, once complete deforestation has occurred. The change in both the aquatic and terrestrial habitats would have a profound effect on biodiversity, an issue that needs further investigation. The mining operations have drastically changed habitats in addition to increasing human population. Mining also use heavy machinery such as excavators to clear large tracks of land. The movement of excavators loosens the soil thereby causing chronic erosion. The removal of vegetation cover can alter the biological systems found in the soil and also make it vulnerable to forces of erosion.

Recommendations Mining can become more environmentally friendly through developing and integrating practices that reduce the adverse environmental impact of mining operations. According to Lins and Horwitz (2017) The UN- REDD+ Programme incorporates a number of documents that confirm the role that mining procedures in over 60 countries play a driving force in deforestation of these areas. The strategies discussed in the UN- REDD+ Programme can assist Zimbabwe with designing and implementing programs that specifically cater to the area’s needs. In Zimbabwe Forestry Commission has started to respond by implementing programs that protect forests from deforestation. Forest monitoring can also help in reducing deforestation, as postulated by Mamimine (2010) the implementation of new monitoring technologies like drones and mobile phones have the potential to greatly

improve the way in which important data is collected and relayed back to government and corporation personnel. The use of higher resolution cameras to map the dispersion of mining impacts within an area could also improve the way in which environmental issues are addressed and even prevented. Mining companies need to come up with a biodiversity strategy. C, Lins and E, Horwitz (2017) published a study on the most recent initiatives taken by large diversified mining companies such as Anglo American and Rio Tinto. According to the study RIO Tinto has committed to make a net-positive impact on biodiversity on the lands where it operates. In other words, the company seeks to leave as much natural variety, if not more, than existed before its operations close. It also aims to rehabilitate land as it comes out of use, not wait until all operations at the site have ceased (Hillman,2008). The company has published a “Biodiversity Strategy”, a framework for managing interests and concerns of a wide range of groups, integrates biodiversity and business management and requires that all businesses have plans for current and potential uses of company-managed land. Such initiatives if adopted by all mining companies in Zimbabwe can help in protecting biodiversity. Water resource in mining faces challenges that include ,creation of potentially toxic waste rock, water table contamination, tailing dam failures, deep water disposal and acid mine drainage to mention but a few. These factors have a negative impact on the environment hence compromising the sustainability of the resource. However these constraints may be avoided or reduced by implementing mitigation measures. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a potentially severe pollution hazard that can contaminate surrounding soil, groundwater, and surface water. The formation of acid mine drainage is a function of the geology, hydrology, and mining technology employed at a mine site. The primary sources for acid generation are sulfide minerals, such as pyrite (iron sulfide), which decompose in air and water. Many of these sulfide minerals originate from waste rock removed from the mine or from tailings. Kesler (2008) noted that if water infiltrates pyrite-laden rock in the presence of air, it can become acidified, often at a pH level of two or three. This

increased acidity in the water can destroy living organisms, and corrode culverts, piers, boat hulls, pumps, and other metal equipment in contact with the acid waters and render the water unacceptable for drinking or recreational. Considering the challenges mentioned afore on water resource, integrated water resource Management may be the best approach in sustainably manage the resource. Although the planning and management of water resources especially in the mining sector in Zimbabwe is a long and intricate process, a holistic approach is the best way to sustainably manage the resource. According Hillman (2008) Integrated Water Resources M a n a g e m e nt ( I W R M ) i s a systematic process for the sustainable de velopment , al lo cation and monitoring of water resource use in the context of social, economic and environmental objective. The process seeks to strengthen cross sectional coordination in development of the country’s water resources to reduce conflict, waste and unsustainable systems. Machena (2009) also noted that the process towards realization of IWRM must be participating involving all key stakeholders within the economic sectors, nongovernmental organization, the public sector and other relevant civil society groups. The IWRM planning and implementation process is a logical sequence of phases that are driven and supported by continuous events.

Conclusion In Zimbabwe, few mining companies particularly those owned by large international mining houses are making strides in complying with international best practices to achieve full criteria for sustainable business. The extractive nature of the mining industry however should be accompanied with appropriate observance of environmental laws, appropriate corporate social responsibility, legislative reforms, transparency and accountability by all stakeholders. However, the overall current performance resulted in the researcher suggesting that these mining companies must continue to improve their practices by following what have been discussed in this research paper for sustainable development goal to be achieved, that is capacity building, integrated and holistic approaches to the environment.

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S U RV E Y

Feedback from our readers In the last two quarters we carried out a survey of our readers and we would like to thank all those who responded and gave us some valuable feedback. We are looking to add to our offering. Below are some of the stats and suggestions in improving our paper.

Would you consider having a regular column in the paper?

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What content would you like to see included in the newsletter? More and policy in relation to Sustainable Development Initiatives in industry in Biological Sciences as well as solar energy and solar energy based agricultural initiatives DIY info on sustainable environmental issues in under developed regions in Zimbabwe Something regular on National Parks issues and protected areas. What other content would you like to find on the website? More surveys More on wildlife conservation, animal projects. Listing and directory Technical information. We want to know more about sustainable development goals More news on communities living adjacent to protected areas.

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How has SustainZim changed your view of Sustainable Development? I am more conscious about my carbon footprint Its a vehicle of information dissemination that has kept me abreast with sustainable projects and development happening around the country. It has given me a broader outlook at local initiatives Taught us how to work for ourselves than waiting for the government to improve our way of life .

This is a great paper! SustainZim is what it says, Sustaining Zimbabwe for the future SustainZim is what it says, Sustaining Zimbabwe for the future After I realized that politics does not determine my destiny as an individual but working for myself now I have six hectares of tomatoes and green beans

SustainZim is doing a great job of disseminating information and documenting Zimbabwe’s sustainable development journey SustainZim is what it says, Sustaining Zimbabwe for the future SustainZim is a vital publication. It reminds each one of us that our own personal actions not only matter but can make a difference. It educates, encourages and illuminates Zimbabweans about how we can secure a healthy future for our country now! This magazine should be compulsory reading for every Person who likes to think himself “an educated Zimbabwean”.

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WILDLIFE

The Wildlife Summit Take Away Points from Community Perspectives, From Youth Lens. Knowledge M. Vingi, Environmental Science

The inaugural Wildlife Economy Summit 2019 was held in the small resort town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe form the 23rd to the 25th of June 2019. It was held under the theme ‘’Communities for Conservation, Harnessing Conservation Efforts, Supporting Governments’’.

he summit saw over 40 African countries being represented and witnessed 4 head of states from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia with Angola being represented by the Minister of Environment. Other delegates of importance were the CITES Secretary General, EU Delegation and UN Environment. The event which was hosted by the government of Zimbabwe and convened by the African Union and the UN Environment with key partnerships from various organizations saw more than 450 delegates attending. Of particular concern for us was the pre -summit communities meeting which took place before the official opening. In these meetings communities were represented by traditional leaders, community leaders, youth representatives and civil society organizations who work directly with communities involved in wildlife interactions. The common consensus was that there was a need to forge a new deal for communities’ active participation in wildlife conservation and sharing of benefits arising from utilization of such wildlife resources. Some of the key questions which were raised included; • Was there ever a deal before? • With whom was the deal made? • What needs to be done differently, to protect community interests? • Do communities have enough strong rights over natural resources in their areas? If not, what should be done? • Are those rights recognized and respected? • Are community institutions strong enough to deal with complex issues in regard to the use of their natural resources, and if not, what should be done about that? • What needs to be done to increase the benefits to rural communities from their use of natural resources? Deliberations were made and it was agreed that communities had long suffered in silence in the face of living with the natural resources. The communities agreed that they had strong institutions and indigenous knowledge systems enough to deal with their own affairs of managing

and utilizing their natural resources but bemoaned the lack of institutional support and laws to empower local governance structures. It was agreed that communities and societies without wildlife sometimes made much noise about management and use of natural resources than those endowed with such. The critical output was to empower those with wildlife to directly have a say about their resource than those further from it. Communities have benefits and opportunity costs foregone by accommodating wildlife and natural resources in their areas, hence the demand that old deal was raw. Benefits accrued from use of their natural resources are not shared equally if ever shared. The purpose of this meeting was to ever make sure that in such new deal, communities have equity. From the youth perspective, we realized a lot of opportunities that the youth constituency lost including access to education at a tender age due to wildlife conflicts, being forced to look after crops and livestock as a means to protect them from predation. Community livelihoods are sometimes lost due to crop raiding and predatory wildlife and this affects the economies which were to finance the youth’s education and future. The

female counterparts suffer greatly as they are the once tasked to source water and firewood in such dangerous environments which has sometimes led to loss of life from crocodiles as they wash clothes or fetch water as well as predators as they fetch firewood. The governments and institutions have taken aboard the recognition of communities’ serious involvement in wildlife conservation as shareholders, not mere stakeholders. Communities are the first line of defense against poaching and wildlife trafficking, hence their buy in becomes of paramount importance. A new wildlife economy should foster economic benefits and policy inclusion of communities especially youths as current active players not only for the future. Climate change, land degradation, b i o d ive rs i t y l o s s h a s l e d to communities’ cost of living with wildlife increasing since competition for resources and land is increasing. In that light their active involvement will reduce pressure on ecosystems and promote AICHI Strategic Goal A of addressing the Causes of Biodiversity Loss. According to the Working Paper 1: Developing Nature-Based Tourism in Africa’s State Protected Areas by Space for Giants (2019) tourism

contributes 8.4% of Africa’s economy and supports more than 24 million jobs. However, the currently only 62 million people are visiting Africa to see its pristine wildlife, with a projected figure of 134 million tourists by 2030. The figures show the potential of the African economies especially in the Sub Saharan Africa being transformed to better levels. In this context, it will become of paramount importance that African youths play a pivotal role in shaping and directing wildlife economies towards equity and social benefits. Opportunities lie in community to u ri sm hub s , pho to g raph ic tourism and scientific tourism. All these opportunities will open up the economic space for youths to participate as well as enhance wildlife welfare as community will derive tangible and clear benefits whilst wildlife suffers less confrontation. Already African governments, Zimbabwe included have taken heed of how importance wildlife economy is to locals and the country in general. It will only make sense to ride on the wave and establish benefit mechanisms for communities to prosper.

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P R OF I L E

biogas harnessed from municipal sewage plants was investigated. Two sewage plants Crow borough and Marlborough were investigated as the potential raw material suppliers for the biogas generation. Sewage sludge samples were co...

Value addition of brewers spent grains to bio coal using hydrothermal carbonization (Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

The production of alternative energy sources from waste residues is increasingly becoming popular. This paper focuses on the value addition of brewery spent grains waste by converting it to bio coal using hydrothermal carbonization. Brewery spent grains (BSG) from a local brewery company were use... 04

Papers by Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng) Harare Institute Of Technology, Chemical And Process Systems Engineering, Faculty Member @MercyManyuchi

Read More Papers by Dr. Mercy Manyuchi are available online and you can get updates when she publishes new papers at https://hit-ac.academia. edu/MercyManyuchi

Value addition of coal fines and sawdust to briquettes using molasses as a binder (Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In this study, the cobriquetting of coal fines saw dust and molasses as a binder is explored as an option for value addition of the wastes generated in the various industries. The effect of the saw dust concentration and the molasses concentration w a s i n v e s t i g a t e d t h ro u g h m e a s u r i n g t h e b r i q u e tt e . . . 01

Integrative Municipal Sewage Sludge Management through Biogas Production: A Case Study of Municipal Plants in Harare, Zimbabwe (Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In this study, the potential to generate electricity from sewage sludge biogas harnessed from municipal sewage plants was investigated. Two sewage plants Crow borough and Marlborough were investigated as the potential raw material suppliers for the biogas generation. Sewage sludge samples were co...

Biogas Production from Saw dust using Acti-zyme as Digestion Catalyst and its Upgrading to Bio methane using Chemical Absorption Zimbabwe has one of the 05 largest deposits of timber in Southern Africa (about 500 000 tons per annum) such that most entrepreneurs venture into timber processing. The venture results in generation of a lot of sawdust dumps that are of no economic use if they are left lying around. There is 10000 metric tons that go to waste each year which when bio-converted can result in biogas.

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil: Technical and Economic Feasibility Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO) is an 06 alternative source of biofuels. WCO is a cheaper raw material compared to other sources since it’s a waste product. Visits to food outlets in Harare indicated an average 28.9% disposal of the total oils and fats consumed. Alkaline trans-esterification process was used for the conversion of WCO to biodiesel.

Nutrient Removal from Wastewater through Bio augmentation (Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In this study, the potential to generate electricity from sewage sludge

for damages

The fossil fuel industries 08 generates huge amounts of carbon dioxide to the environment during energy g e n e ra t i o n , i n c re a s i n g the greenhouse effects on the environment on a daily basis. This effectively results in negative climate change effects yet it’s the ordinary person who is paying for it-the fossil fuel industry must own up and pay the damages. “ndividuals, climate change activists and policy matters must come up during COP22 in Morocco, and ensure this is done

Treatment of Piggery Wastewater Using a 3-Stage Vermifiltration Process Utilizing Eisenia Fetida Earthworms (M. M. Manyuchi and N. L. Mupoperi)

This paper focuses on an alternative biological method for piggery w a s t e w a t e r t re a t m e n t using the modified single stage vermifiltration process. A 3-stage vermifiltration process was used for piggery wastewater treatment as an alternative and modified biological wastewater treatment technique. Three vermifilters with media which comprised of Eisenia Fetida earthworms, garden soil, sand and quartz stones were used as the filtration media. 09

Brewery Wastewater Treatment Using The Biofilm Carriers’ Technology (M. M. Manyuchi and N. Chikwama)

The brewery industry is one of the major industries in Zimbabwe and the following s t u d y w a s co n d u c t e d to assess the technoeconomic feasibility of reuse of wastewater after treatment using the biofilm that forms on the biocarriers. The malting plant of a certain brewing plant uses up to 350000 cubic meters water a year discharging about 75% of the biologically contaminated w a t e r a s e ff l u e n t w h i c h i s discharged into the ecosystem.

Treatment of municipal sewage sludge is a problem in Zimbabwe. However, if the appropriate waste to energy technologies are applied, sewage plants can generate their own electricity thus minimizing municipalities’ reliance on the already strained national grid. 07

Why we need to keep the fossil fuel and tobacco industries accountable and make them pay

basis in tea estates and these pose an environmental threat due to greenhouse gases emissions yet these presents an opportunity of generation of biomass briquettes.

Integrated Biomass Utilization for Energy Efficiency and Nutrient Recycling Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

I n t h i s s t u d y, a n assessment of the 13 a v a i l a b l e s o u rc e s of biomass and the associated technologies are given for possible energy efficiency i m p rove m e n t . B i o c h a r , a by product of biomass carbonization was assessed as a potential soil amendment as well as nutrient cycle agent.

Valorization of Corn Sillage through Vermicomposting Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In this study, corn sillage was converted to vermicompost and vermiwash t h ro u g h e a r t h wo r m b i o conversion. Eisenia Fetida earthworms loaded at a rate of 2.5 kg/m 2 were used as the vermicomposting media over a period of 30 days in a vermireactor. 14

Bio treatment of Brewery Wastewater Treatment using Hycura Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

Sewage Plants’ Potential to Produce Biogas for Electricity Generation-Case Study of the Three Zimbabwe Municipalities

T h i s s t u d y fo c u s e d o n t h e investigation of bio treatment of brewery wastewater using 11 engineered micro organisms l i ke H y c u ra . B re w e r y wastewater was treated in a 10L tank over a 5 day period with Hycura loadings of 0.05 g/L. The wastewater chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BO...

Potential to Produce Biomass Briquettes from Tea Waste Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

Tea wastes are generated on a daily

Feasibility of using Sewage Sludge Bio char in Treating Municipal Sewage Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In this study, activated biochar from municipal sewage sludge was used for the treatment of sewage wastewater. The sewage physicochemical parameters were measured before and after bio filtration with biochar applying the principle of adsorption using the standard methods. 15

Solid Fuel Production from Landfill Waste for Promoting Sustainable Development in Africa Dr. Mercy Manyuchi (Pr. Eng; CEng, MZweIE)

In the present study, the potential to produce bio pellets from organic landfill waste was investigated as a strategy to promote sustainability of landfills as well as provision of alternative clean energy source. Organic waste was first shredded then compacted to pellets. 16