SustainZim - Issue 01

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@sustainzim }

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QUARTER 01 ISSUE 01 / 16

Think Live Stay Green!

CLIMATE CHANGE

ENERGY

PROFILE

Clean 05 The energy Project

11 Muunganirwa fish project

LE

CARTOON

Zim’s own 13 Introduces climate saviour

Changing Mindset in the face of changing climate 09

F E AT U R E

What do tertiary students know about climate change?

A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe

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SUSTAINZIM - Think Live Stay Green!

SURVEY REPORT NO T

{ www.sustainzim.org

@sustainzim }

FO

R

SA

LE

QUARTER 01 ISSUE 01 / 16

Think Live Stay Green!

CLIMATE CHANGE

ENERGY

PROFILE

Clean 05 The energy Project

11 Muunganirwa fish project

CARTOON

Zim’s own 13 Introduces climate saviour

Changing Mindset in the face of changing climate 09

What do tertiary students know about climate change?

Raymond Muwaniri

F E AT U R E

What do tertiary students know about climate change?

POVOAfrika Trust

A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe

A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe conducted by POVOAfrika Trust in partnership with HIVOS.

SustainZim is a tabloid newspaper promoting 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

Background POVO Afrika Trust in partnership with HIVOS conducted a countrywide Climate Change Survey in the tertiary institutions of Zimbabwe.

“Climate Change is the changes in the meteorological conditions, including temperature, precipitation, and wind, that characteristically prevail in a particular region.”

Between February to May 2015, POVO Afrika traveled to the five major cities in Zimbabwe and managed to interview 1000 participants in eight different institutions.

All participants involved in this process were students who are the core future of Zimbabwe.

Survey conducted in the following cities and institutions

PUBLISHERS POVOAfrika Trust (MA0001023/2015)

CONTRIBUTE contribute@sustainzim.org ADVERTISING A rate sheet is available on request ZIM +263 774 168 975 / +263 77 228 3186 RSA +27 72 600 5283 / +27 11 7603511 / +27 76 099 9770 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 infor-

mation, 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 or 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 siting 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.

Special thanks to HIVOS for partnering with us for the survey through providing funding and technical advice on governance to our fledgling organisation.

ii) find out the students position on rural areas and Zimbabwe’s indigenous knowledge.

It is the first time a climate change survey has been done in institutions around Zimbabwe. Initially POVO Afrika approached the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education to seek permission to conduct the survey. Special mention goes out to Mrs Chira-

Survey Statistics

Harare Polytechnic College, Belvedere Teachers College

Midlands State University (MSU)

MUTARE

BULAWAYO

RSA - Johannesburg +27 11 7603511 / +27 726005283 210 Klein Drakenstein, 31 Snipe Street, Horizon, 1724, Roodepoort

i) find out how much tertiary students know about climate change and how it is affecting Zimbabweans.

HARARE

GWERU

ZIM - Harare +263 774 168 975 / 773 456 797, 1 Verona Gardens, 70 Livingstone Ave

Objectives for this survey were to;

Lupane State University(LSU), National University of Science & Technology(NUST)

MASVINGO

Great Zimbabwe University(GZU)

Mutare Polytechnic College, Mary Mount Teachers College

13 Questions 8 Institutions 1000 Questionnaires filled Participants Males 42% Females 57 %, Did not Answer (DNA) 1%

pa who assisted us in obtaining the permission needed. POVO Afrika went on to contact the different institutions we were targeting for the survey and got a very good response as all the institutions were willing to cooperate with us on this project.

A team of three people would be responsible for carrying out the survey, a projects coordinator and two assistants. The projects coordinator Raymond Muwaniri from the POVO Afrika team was selected, he would be responsible for the overall running of the survey. The assistants were students selected from the institutions targeted to participate in the survey.

Faculties interviewed Social Sciences Education Commercials Others

17% 31%

10%

42%

Climate Change Survey Responses [By Question] Yes

1%

2%

40%

98% 01 Do you care about the environment?

60%

60%

40%

47%

52%

1%

No

53%

DNA

46%

21%

11%

79%

89%

02 Have you ever 03 At work, school 04 Tobacco is improving the livelihood of 05 Should farmers continue to 06 Are you familiar with 07 Were you taught thrown litter outside or home, do you small-scale rural farmers, should they continue use fertilizers for bumper harvest, the term Sustainable about Climate Change a moving vehicle? recycle your waste? to grow it at the cost of the environment? at the cost of the environment? Development? in school?

15%

1%

85%

68%

31%

08 Have you experienced Climate Change in your Area?

09 Do you think that climate Change is more of a western problem than African?

23% 2%

75% 10 Would you prefer to drive to and from your institution than take public transport?

11%

1%

88%

11 There is no point in me doing anything about Climate Change because no one else is?

Analysis 1

Do you care about the environment?

98%

of the students said they cared about the environment. But

60% Admit to throwing litter.

Q1. Zimbabweans do not hesitate to litter, there needs to be a psychological mindset change because we do not realize the damage we are causing to our environment. E.g. In 2014, the capital Harare experienced flooding in its Central Business District because its drainage systems are blocked by litter.

tobacco farming can continue at cost of the 52% Believe environment.

Q4. A lot of deforestation is happening in tobacco-grown areas (e.g. Muzarabani, Hwedza), due to the trees being cut

down for tobacco curing processes at little or no cost to the small scale farmers. The government has tried to tackle this problem by asking tobacco companies to provide small-scale farmers with charcoal, but the farmers cannot afford the charcoal and continue to use forest trees N.B It is also important to note that the burning of charcoal contributes to climate change. It released stored Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, fueling the problem.

46%

Believe fertilisers must be used at cost of the environment.

Q5. An over dependence on fertilizers is destroying the soils and excess fertilizer is entering our waters destroying aquatic life and its biodiversity.

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SUSTAINZIM - Think Live Stay Green!

SURVEY REPORT Faculty Responses: Tobacco is improving the livelihood of rural farmers, should they continue to grow it at the cost of the environment?

4

47% Education

5

58% Commercials

8

RainfallPattern 25.8% High Temperatures16.8%

58% Social Sciences

46% Commercials

41% Social Sciences

06

It is alarming to learn that in Question 4 & 5 students in Education (42% of the survey participants), who will be teachers for young Zimbabweans have these statistics. HOWEVER, in talking to some of the students they believe people’s livelihood comes before climate change. What they do not realize is that Zimbabwean livelihoods are already under threat from climate change.

6

85% Social Sciences

Age Responses: Do you think Climate Change is more of a Western problem than African?

60

91%

87%

20

81% 19%

13%

9%

0 18 - 24 years

25 - 35 years

36 - 46 years

All age groups seem to be knowledgeable on the subject. These are promising statistics because education on Climate Change should start in schools..

8

Age Responses: Have you experienced any change of climate in your area?

80 60

81%

88% 19%

20

The use of carbon emitting vehicles contributes to climate change, it is encouraged that people use public transport or car-pooling systems to reduce the number of cars on the road. It is also encouraged to cycle and walk to nearby destination. In some mainland European countries (Netherlands, Belgium) cycling has become so common with bicycles outnumbering the number of cars on the road. Meanwhile in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa our public transport system is not efficient enough, it also very dangerous to cycle on the road because there are no cycle tracks, and we are still fixated on owning vehicles as a status symbol.

The older the students get the less they want to drive, the statistics also show that women want to drive more than men do.

This could be a sign of more women in Zimbabwe wanting to become professionals and independent in their own right.

No

Yes

1%

31% 68%

11

95%

36 - 46 years

87% Commercials

93% Social Sciences Yes

No

79%

64 60

70%

18 - 24 years

36 - 46 years

25 - 35 years

21%

29%

79%

71% MALE

FEMALE

What do tertiary students know about climate change?

MARK WITH AN ‘X’ WHERE APPLICABLE

15%

M

Marital Status

F

84%

88%

85%

Bulawayo

78%

FEMALE

MALE

Mutare

89%

Gweru

84%

Masvingo

84%

90

The Area Chart above shows us that more students originating from Mutare have experienced climate change and those from Bulawayo have experienced the least. Bulawayo student have experienced the least climate change because Bulawayo has always been a dry area, so the lack of rain due to climate change has not changed much.

Social Science students felt strongest on this question, but most of the participants recognize climate change as everyone’s problem.

Given the right education and distribution of information on mitigation and adoption strategies, everyone should corporate.

18-24

Age

Married

Single

Faculty

75

70%

Gender Responses

Gender

12%

88%

65

68

A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe. POVOAfrika Trust in partnership with HIVOS.

Gender Responses Response according to place of origin (YES %)

Harare

72

84% Education

More students between the ages of 36-45 have experienced climate change, this is because they have lived longer and experienced more seasons.

Small Towns & Rural Districts

76

There is no point in me doing anything about climate change because no one else is

5% 25 - 35 years

No

Yes

Faculty Responses

12%

18 - 24 years

Age Responses 80

% Percent

80

40

No

Yes

Would you prefer to drive to and from your institute than public transport?

10

100

% Percent

30

No

Yes

% Percent

24

The category ‘Others’ includes; water shortages, winter rains, hot winters, soil & vegetation change, land degradation, rivers drying up, shift in farming season, poor harvests, ozone depletion, cyclones, sea levels.

Western countries are largely blamed for climate change due to their high carbon emissions from industrialization. These statistics are a good sign that Africans are not shying away from the problem and accepting that climate change is an international problem.

Age Responses: Were you taught about Climate Change in school?

7

50

18

While 29.7% of participant did not answer this part of the question, the mosts changes in climate experienced by participants have been the change in the rainfall pattern followed by the increase in temperatures and then change in seasons.

9

68% Commercials

For a definition of Sustainable Development got to Page 8

0

12

Faculty Responses: Are you familiar with the term Sustainable Development?

75% Education

40

Seasons 9.2% Droughts 5.1% Low Temperatures 3.5% Temperature Changes 2.5% Others 4.3% DNA 29.7%

Faculty Responses: Should farmers continue to use fertilizers at the cost of the environment

48% Education

100

(i)(ii) Give 2 examples of change of climate in your areas

25-35

Divorced

36-45 Widowed

Institute

Town/City of Origin

Q1 - Do you care about the environment?

YES

NO

Q2 - Have you ever thrown litter outside a moving vehicle before?

YES

YES

NO

Give two examples 1.

2.

NO

Q3 - At work, school or home, do you recycle any of your waste?

YES

Q8 - Have you experienced any change in the climate in your area?

NO

Q4 - Tobacco production is increasing small scale farmers income and improving their livelihoods, but at the cost of the environment. Should they continue producing tobbacco?

Q9 - Do you think Climate Change is more of a Western problem than African?

YES

NO

Q10 - Would you prefer to drive to and from your institution than take public transport?

YES

NO

Above: A sample of the form that Q11 - There is no point in me doing anything about survey YES was used NO for the climate change because Q5 - Should farmers continue to use fertilizers for bumper harvests, at the cost of the environment?

YES

NO

Q6 - Are you familiar with

no-one else is?

YES

NO

Q12 - Do you think our indigenous knowledge has any relevance in today's Zimbabwe?

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SUSTAINZIM - Think Live Stay Green!

SURVEY REPORT Responses According to Place of Origin (YES %)

Q4. Should small-scale tobacco farming continue at cost of environment?

Harare

36%

50%

Bulawayo

34%

55%

Mutare

46%

45%

Gweru

42%

62%

Masvingo

40%

55%

Small Towns & Rural Districts

44%

50%

54% Commercials

65% Social Sciences

Age Responses:

59%

18 -24 years 25 - 35 years 36 - 46 years

Students in the Social Sciences including the arts felt strongest on this question. The question aims at finding out how many students would be willing to relocate to rural areas, encouraging more urban to rural migration. There needs to be decentralization in Zimbabwe to shift focus from the capital city Harare to other areas.

Responses According to Place of Origin (YES %)

Q10. Would you prefer to drive to and from your institution

Harare

49%

78%

Bulawayo

44%

81%

Mutare

45%

69%

Gweru

34%

82%

Masvingo

52%

78%

Small Towns & Rural Districts

47%

71%

Students from

Please note that ‘place of origin’ is where the participant is born and grew up. We did not group the students according to their current institutions.

Students originating from Mutare seem to be more environmentally aware;

i) they recycle the most, ii) less believe tobacco farmers should continue at cost of the environment iii)less would prefer to drive to their institutions in comparison to the other regions.

Indigenous Knowledge

“Indigenous knowledge refers to the local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society.” Examples in Zimbabwe include; traditional medicines, traditional ceremonies and totems and African tales amongst others.

POVO Afrika included 2 questions in the survey to find found out the students position on rural areas and if indigenous

knowledge was still relevant to them. From the results POVO Afrika intends to pursue projects that emphasize the importance of rural areas, the preservation and documentation of Zimbabwe’s tradition and culture including its indigenous knowledge.

Do you think indigenous knowledge has any relevance in today’s Zimbabwe?

Age Responses:

Faculty Responses

95

86% Social Sciences

90 85

85%

87%

80

18 - 24 years More students between the ages of 3646 believe indigenous knowledge is still relevant, this is because more people in this age group grew up in rural areas using indigenous knowledge. HOWEVER, everyone responded positively so measures need to be put into place to make sure our indigenous knowledge is preserved. It is also important to note that some indigenous knowledge is outdated and cannot be practiced anymore, so it is important that it is documented and stored for future reference.

Q13. If offer a job in rural area, would you relocate after your studies?

Harare

88%

53%

Bulawayo

84%

59%

Mutare

86%

61%

Gweru

79%

60%

Masvingo

91%

56%

Small Towns & Rural Districts

86%

65%

More students from Masvingo believe indigenous knowledge is still relevant, it is well known that people in Masvingo are very cultural. We must also mention that Great Zimbabwe, our ‘cultural icon’ is also located in Masvingo.

More students from small towns and rural districts would be willing to work in rural areas

as compared to students from the major cities. This is no surprise as they are used to the rural setup. Rural electrification of all areas is necessary to encourage more students from urban areas to work in rural areas.

P

Analysis

89% Education

Q12. Does indigenous knowledge have any relevance in today’s Zimbabwe?

Students from

Getting the work done

POVO Afrika is involved in the art and culture sector of Zimbabwe. There seems to be a massive focus on urban areas in terms of development, so the younger generation in rural areas is opting to migrate to urban areas for better opportunities. The older generation in rural areas is therefore being left behind with no one to pass on their knowledge of traditional ways and customs. This is causing a generation gap of knowledge and with the changing times our indigenous knowledge is being lost.

74% Commercials

Faculty Responses 60% Education

Q5. Should farmers continue using fertilizers at cost of environment?

12

After your studies, would you relocate if offered a job in a rural area?

13

Q3. Do you recycle your waste?

Students from

% Percent

4

25 - 35 years

93% 36 - 46 years

OVOAfrika Trust experienced no complications during the process, all the institutions and their participants were very welcoming and happy to work with us. The 1 000 students were randomly selected from a wide variety of faculties. The POVO Afrika team would walk into lecture rooms with students on their breaks and ask them to participate in the survey. In the case where lectures were in progress, we would ask permission from the lecturer and wait until the class was finished. We would also engage students on a lunch break or between classes, sitting outside in the designated areas.

In some of the institutions, we were escorted by the Dean of students which made our work a lot easier as we got faster responses. At Marymount Teachers college, 150 students gathered at their assembly point to fill in our survey forms. This turned out to the fastest process as 150 forms were filled and collected all at once. For their participation in our survey, students were given copies of the 2014 women and main edition POVO Journals with a 2014 POVO Speak/Sing CD. The CD which contained music and spoken word poetry turned out to be more popular than the journals.

During the survey, it was evident that students studying agriculture, geography, environment and other related fields were familiar with climate change as it is part of their curriculum.

Other students with knowledge of current affairs had heard of climate change but had no idea what was the cause. However, all students were in agreement that the climate in Zimbabwe had changed, it was getting warmer, the seasons were becoming unpredictable and they did not really understand the causes. During the survey we observed that some students had difficulty answering the questions and would copy from their neighbours, especially on - (Question 6; Are you familiar with the term Sustainable development? and Question 8; Have you experienced any change of climate in your area?). However, these students could have answered the questions themselves if they fully applied their minds.

Marymount Teachers College in Mutare

Conclusion It is important that students who are the future of the country have full knowledge on Climate change and Sustainable Development, especially the teachers in training who will be educating the future generation of Zimbabwe. Human activity around the world is negatively affecting our planet and Zimbabweans need to be educated on what is really happening, and to start making changes towards reducing our carbon footprint and living sustainably. Climate Change is now considered a major security threat to the planet and is high on the UN’s agenda. POVO Afrika Trust intends on doing its part by going into communities, schools, universities and colleges around Zimbabwe and educating the people on Sustainable Development, mitigation and adaption strategies that counter Climate Change and Global Warming. The future generations, our children and grandchildren are dependent on us making the right decisions.

POVO Afrika would like to thank the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education for their permission to conduct this survey, all the institutions and their authority figures, the participants for cooperating with us, the assistants who took time from their studies to conduct the survey and Hivos for funding the project.

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SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!

ENERGY

The clean energy project

By Jeremiah Mushosho UNICEF

T

After realizing the knowledge gap on environmental issues in the current education curricula, UNICEF Zimbabwe in partnership with the Mukuvisi Woodlands devised the Eco Schools environmental education programme to address this gap while encouraging schools to form environmental clubs to take environmental and climate change issues practically. Through the programme, schools initiate practical hands-on projects that solve identified environmental problems within the school community.

The Clean Energy project adopted a collaborative approach between environment organizations, development partners, government and public institutions such as schools, colleges and universities, in enhancing efforts to prevent continued degradation especially forest resources in particular wood which is in high demand for domestic energy consumption, tobacco curing and brick making. Women, especially girls in and out of school bear the largest burden of sourcing energy resources as they are responsible for cooking.

The major Objectives of the project were: To increase awareness and knowledge about clean energy solutions to eco-schools environment club leaders and raise awareness on climate change issues To capacitate environment club leaders on how to design innovative solution to mitigate energy challenges by adopting clean renewable energy practices.

To achieve its aims, the project carried out two major activities as follows: Two day training workshops on clean energy and climate change for ninety schools in the three selected provinces for two teachers and three children environment club leaders per school.

Development of awareness raising education materials (posters, charts, information fact sheets / energy manual for secondary schools) for the ninety schools participating in the project.

The programme focused on ninety schools in the three selected provinces in which from each school two teachers and three children environment club leaders. This project targeted to directly engage around 450 teachers and environmental club leaders but the response was very high with more than

Environmental Science department which is also asking for a pilot extension of the programme into Mashonaland Central province while the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education has requested for a curriculum review whereby the pragmatic aspects of the programme can be infused into the school curricula.

IMAGES BY AMY WICKHAM 2015

here is a realized general environmental degradation that is emanating from the ever growing population which puts demands and pressures on resources in Zimbabwe. The energy sector is most severely affected area. The situation of lacking energy access and increasing energy demand is escalated by constant power cuts, increased population demanding fire wood fuel and increased resettlements. A drying climate which has seen the drying up of Zimbabwe’s biggest hydro-Power Station at the Kariba Dam. School children are most affected as they need energy for lighting, cooking, access to health services, access to technology and information, yet this access has been largely lacking. There is a unique opportunity for youth to embark on clean energy projects to benefit them and their communities and the clean energy project seemed to engage with and deliver such capacity in order to facilitate youth to avail of this opportunity.

Children participating in the training

600 beneficiaries throughout the projects in the three provinces reached. Two teachers and three children were selected from each of the thirty schools in each of the three selected pilot provinces. The programme was implemented in Harare, Matabeleland North and South Provinces.

The project was well received in the provinces selected. During the monitoring visit conducted, there were efforts at both individual and institutional/school level to implement what has been learnt during the project. Most common initiatives adopted and implemented were the tsotso stove, biogas and temp bag with none of the participants pursued solar cookers or mini grids.

The Tsotso stove, Biogas and temperature bags were demonstrated during the trainings and this led to the highest level of update both by individuals and institutions/schools. In fort Rixon area one student at the secondary school has developed a mini tsotso stove that he has tested and it can boil water in thirteen minutes. At Thomas Meikles Pagama School we found the most interesting uptake of project where the school has

built two plate mud stoves with the involvement of the whole school including the School Headmaster taking part in the construction.

The project has produced a manual for secondary schools environmental clubs which has information on environmental awareness, conservation of resources, Climate change education and clean energy.

The clean energy project is replicable and needs to be up scaled and replicated to other provinces. Schools now have clubs in Matabeleland region as a result of this project. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Hwange District invited the Eco Schools Programme to train their coordinators for 2016 on renewable clean energy and this shows that the project has a potential to be up scaled and replicated at the national level because the participants and others who are not directly involved are seeing value in the project. The programme became popular and continue to be requested as is the case with Bindura University of Science Education

Renewable energy technology was further promoted at the Mukuvisi Enviro Challenge competition where winning schools were awarded institutional renewable energy technology gadgets (solar panels for schools and solar reading lamps for individuals.

Clean renewable energy is a major subject when discussing climate change both in mitigation and adaptation. The project dubbed ‘The Clean energy project’ but in essence it was broadly renewable energy and climate change. This project used clean energy as an entry point to enhance the children’s knowledge on climate change and the need for changing their life styles and energy consumptions in response to the global problem of climate change. This project aimed at helping the children to think around developing innovative energy solutions in the wake of increased power cuts in the country following the drying up of the country’s largest dam and hydro power generation plant at the Kariba dam. There are co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation that is while clean renewable energy reduces emission into the atmosphere, it is also a way of adapting to the problem of power cuts.

This is s a project by UNICEF Zimbabwe and Mukuvisi Woodlands UNICEF is a leading advocate for children’s rights. We have the global authority to influence decision makers and the variety of partners at the grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress.

List of innovations and projects started at schools as a result of this project: 1 Three stoves were developed at Thomas Meikles Pagama Primary in Fort Rixon. One is the portable mud stove and the other one is a portable two plate stove made from an old electric hotplate stove and tins. One tin makes a single plate stove. Both stoves can be constructed from old coil or solid plate. Stoves use tsotso or charcoal.

Tsotso is a Shona name for small dry twigs from tree branches.

2 Two plate Tsotso stove constructed at Chamabondo Primary School in Victoria Falls. Temp bag manufactured at Highfield 1 High School in Harare.

3 Two plate Chitofu tsotso constructed at Uzumba High school in Murehwa and Chizungu Primary in Epworth Harare. Two plate stove constructed using old 5litre tins by Zimbabwe Hear Them Out in Victoria Falls. The stoves uses charcoal or tsotso. Tsotso is a Shona name for small dry twigs from tree branches.

4 Two plate stove made by combining an old two plate electric stove and two x 5 litre empty tins. Uses wood shavings or tsotso. Fort Rixon Secondary boy made a handy single plate stove using a floor polish container and a jam tin container. Can boil water in thirteen minutes.

5 Water harvesting at Rangemore Primary School. Baking scones and buns for business in Insiza.

6 A Temp bag at Highfield 1 High School in Harare.

Children touring a Domestic Biogas Plant at Ndiweni Homestead in Fort Rixon

5

6

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SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!

C L I M AT E

Climate change and Zimbabwe, impacts and action

By Anna Brazier Consultant

The climate change topic, is a well-known conversation-killer. Most people just don’t want to think about it, either because it seems irrelevant or because it is a frightening concept. Some are in denial; others are skeptical that it is a real phenomenon or actually caused by human activities. Like it or not, it is something which we are going to have to talk more and more about and talking has got to lead on to urgent action.

S

o what do Zimbabweans think about climate change? Last year Research and Advocacy Group (RAU) conducted a rapid study to try to find out. The results showed that while many have heard of climate change few understand exactly what it means or what causes it.

Even less could say how climate change was going to affect Zimbabwe in the future or what they could do about it.

Every nation on earth (whether developing or developed) must work together to decrease the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

This should prevent the most devastating impacts of future climate change and will help us to repair some of the damage which has already been done. However even if greenhouse gas emissions are stopped or reduced, many of the impacts of climate change will still affect us for decades. We must therefore develop strategies now to adapt to climate change.

global warming and changing our climate.

th

t los at e He pac s to

s se ga

by

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ed iat y rad rth b s at a se He to E ga e s ck u ba nho ceans ee the o gr and ere ph os m at

Heat m oved aro un dt he Ea rth

Gr ee nh ou

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He iat at ed e E fro art m h

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Greenhouse gases • water vapour • carbon dioxide • methane

ILLUSTRATIONS SOURCE: ANNA BRAZIER

Energy from the sun

RAU consulted the experts and developed a book to give Zimbabweans some information to help them plan for the future. This book will be distributed to planners and decision-makers in government and civic society and is available online. RAU hopes that the book will be taken by others, translated, summarised and made useful for people at many different levels of society. The following is adapted from the book.

What is climate change?

Atmospheric concentration of CO₂

°C

Temperature change

Climate change is caused by the exaggeration of a natural process termed the greenhouse effect.

A greenhouse is a building which keeps plants warm in cold countries so that they can keep growing in winter. The gases in the Earth’s atmosphere act like a greenhouse, forming a layer to keep the planet warm. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold ppm for life. However, human activities have caused Figure 10: The excessive greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) to build up in the atmosphere, causing the planet to heat up too much, an effect known as global warming.

The heating of the atmosphere leads to many other changes, including the melting of ice and snow on mountains and at the north and south poles. As the ice melts, the extra water causes sea levels to rise. Global warming also affects ocean and wind currents, leading to changes in seasons and weather patterns and increases in storms, floods, fires and droughts.

What can we do about it?

Burning fossil fuels pollutes our atmosphere,

What causes it?

Human activities, particularly energy production, industry, transport, large scale commercial agriculture and forest clearing cause the release of excess greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As countries have developed and economies and populations have expanded, more and more greenhouse gases have been released into the atmosphere.

The famous graph (Fig.1) explains how CO2 (in red) has risen as global average temperatures (in orange) have increased. The graph does not prove that greenhouse gas emissions cause climate change, but there is a very strong correlation between the two sets of data. Most scientists use this as a foundation for their evidence that climate change is caused by human activities.

Our best defence against climate change impacts is to protect our natural resources (especially soils, wetlands, underground water resources, rivers and forests) by introducing better land management practices, energy sources and increasing biodiversity. This will not only help us to survive the worst effects of climate change it will also reduce future impacts.

Is climate change a threat or an opportunity?

There is no doubt that climate change will impact on the lives of every person on this planet no matter who they are or where they live. It will reshape societies and will change the natural world as we know it. By degrading and depleting the very resources on which life depends, climate change could reverse many of the development gains made by African countries during recent decades and could hamper future development efforts.

However, many citizens, activists, scientists and policy makers believe that if we rise to the challenge of climate change it could become our best chance to make the world a better place. The world is already suffering from many problems including environmental degradation, water shortages, poverty, hunger and massive inequality. The threat of climate change could be what humanity needs to bring us together and tackle the problems of today in order to protect us from a very precarious future.

Fig1. World atmospheric concentration of CO2 (in parts per million) and average temperature change in Figurecelcius 14: World atmospheric concentration of CO₂ (in parts per million) and degrees

average temperature change in degrees Celsius of snow and ice; rising sea levels and changed amount of water available in rivers, dams and Source:patterns International Agency 2013 weather acrossEnergy the planet.

Extreme underground will decline. There will be an inevents including storms, droughts and floods are crease in droughts, floods and storms. more frequent, intense and numerous and will become increasingly so. Last year was the hottest year on record and it already seems likely that These changes are likely to lead to this year will overtake it.

Reduced water supply for domestic, By the middle of this century, everyone on the agriculture and industry planet will be affected but people in developing countries will be hardest-hit.

The expansion of Natural Region V and the shrinking of Natural Region I and shifts in the areas covered by natural regions III and IV

It is a cruel irony that the poorest developing countries in the tropics and sub tropics, which have Effects on Zimbabwe contributed least to greenhouse gas emissions and Climate change has already caused temperatures have least financial capacity to adapt, will bear the to rise, rainfall to decrease and the occurrence of brunt of the effects of climate change. storms, droughts and floods to increase across Zimbabwe. Scientists believe that average temperatures in Zimbabwe will rise by about 3°C before the end of this century. This is higher than How will it affect us? the global average.

Across the Earth atmospheric and ocean, Annual rainfall could decline by between temperatures are already rising due to climate 5_18% especially in the south of the country. change. This is causing widespread melting Rainfall will become more variable and the

Degradation of natural resources, especially soil, water, natural vegetation, crop, livestock and wildlife species Reduced food security and possibly increased under-nutrition in children Increased incidence of diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and cholera due to reduced water quality, increased temperatures and flooding.

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7

FORESTRY

Forests for food security and nutrition

By Makoto Violet Forestry Commission

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ince time immemorial, trees and forests have been credited with reversing the impact of land degradation, provision of food, energy and income as well as enabling communities to achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability. This is besides giving other environmental benefits like filtering the air to help stave off the effects of climate change.

PHOTO SOURCE: FORESTRY COMMISSION

The most direct way in which Forests and trees contribute to food security is through contributions to diets and nutrition. Plants, animals and insects found in forests provide important nutrient rich supplements for rural households.

In Matabeleland South Province Amacimbi, form the basis of a multi-million dollar trade in edible insects, providing a livelihood for many harvesters, traders and their families. The mopane worm (Imbrassia belina) is probably the most important insect in Southern Africa from a cultural point of view.

Basically, forests are an indispensable component in the fight against hunger, as their presence has a directive effect on the general weather patterns. But a lot has happened and many trees have been lost either to natural or human inspired causes. Forestry Commission (FC) has taken the prerogative to lead the charge to reThe rural farmers rely on natural outbreaks of place the trees through numerous tree planting Amacimbi. However, these do not occur every programmes every year. year and may be absent from some areas for many Tree planting is important because of the ben- years. It is during these years that Amacimbi efits that we get from the trees. The national farming become the most benefit to the local tree planting day is the Forestry Commission’s people. This is a household scale semi-domesflagship event for the programme. Through its tication farming system being implemented programmes, Forestry Commission contrib- with the prospect of making Amacimbi harvests utes to national socio-economic development more reliable, both as a subsistence crop and as through regulation and capacity enhancement in a source of income. Some research was done by the utilization and management of the country’s the Forestry Commission together with other forest resources. organisations like the University of Zimbabwe Amid the challenges the country is facing owing to the loss of our forests due to different factors, tree-planting remains the primary response to the dire situation and is one of the easiest ways through which we can reverse the losses we are experiencing every year. It is an activity in which everyone can participate. Every year tree planting campaigns are scheduled to coincide with the rainy season, which provides good weather conditions for extensive tree planting because of the

By Charles Ndondo natural moisture that will be available and over the years, tree planting occasions have become Kariba REDD+ Project part of every community’s calendar with different groups of people participating in local events.

The Kariba REDD+ Project

Knowledge on how our forests and forest resources can provide livelihoods is what the Forestry Commission intends to impart to communities because it is only when people realise and appreciate the value of a resource that they learn to co-exist with it, conserve it and sustainably utilize it.

Beekeeping has become an essential approach to sustainable forest management in Zimbabwe.

Trees provide pollen and nectar that is the basic ingredient for honey making therefore forest proliferation ensures a significant harvest of honey. The practice adds value to our forests like any other non - timber forest produce such as mushroom, broom grass, edible insects, fruits and eco tourism services. In Manicaland province, beekeeping has contributed immensely to the socio - economic development of the small holder farmers by contributing directly to household income. As a conservation strategy farmers have come to realise that conserving forests ensures a continuity in accruing benefits from beekeeping projects. Forests provide shelter and forage for bees that is the more forest cover the greater the honey the farmer can harvest. Beekeeping provides a variety of products such as beeswax and honey that have an array of uses.

Proceeds from beekeeping can be channeled to finance other agricultural activities on the farm.

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an-made global warming threatens the basis of life, foremost it is threatening the poorest countries, and increasingly it threatens the standard of living in the industrialized world. Market based mechanisms are a strong and proven tool, beyond energy efficiency and savings, for the fight against climate change. For every ton of avoided greenhouse gas emissions, achieved by reducing deforestation and degradation, the Kariba REDD+ project is receiving carbon credits which can be sold to companies and institutions with a voluntary or compliance carbon reduction strategy.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is a mechanism that has been under negotiation by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 2005, with the objective of mitigating climate change through reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases through enhanced forest management in developing countries.

In the last two decades, various studies estimate that land use change, including

and SAFIRE on this project. Building upon the research results a number of Amacimbi farming projects were established in Matobo and Gwanda and Bulilima districts.

The main role of the Forestry Commission in the Amacimbi project is to ensure that there is enhanced capacity of the communities to manage mopane woodlands and other natural resources, and that Amacimbi harvesters in communities develop and practise sustainable harvesting and processing of amacimbi.

Mashonaland Central and West have had to contend with challenges of major deforestation to feed the tobacco growing sector but now they have turned this challenge into an opportunity for extensive tree planting. In Mashonaland Central province, for instance, a lot of farmers are benefiting from seedling production and tree planting. In the province’s Bindura district there is a farmer running a nursery project codenamed Green Forest Nursery in the village of Manhenga. The farmer is into budding and grafting of fruit trees. He sells his trees in different parts of the country. From the proceeds, he together with

The Tobacco Wood Energy Program (TWEP) launched by Forestry Commission in 2004 has also created opportunities for farmers to raise seedlings for sale, for instance in Shamva district, farmers are raising a lot of gum seedlings, selling them to companies such as Sustainable Afforestation Association (SAA). The community projects in Shamva – Chiororo Village have been very successful since they have money to pay school fees and buy food. SAA is also employing locals where they are establishing plantations such as in Bindura, Mazowe and Mt Darwin districts thus creating employment from the TWEP programme.

The reality was, and is, that non-timber forest products contribute enormously to the livelihoods of rural people. Forestry Commission initiated forest resource sharing programmes in Mafungabusi forest in Midlands and shared forest management in Gwaai/Bembesi forests in Matabeleland North province with forest-adjacent communities. The purpose of the new approaches to forest management is to improve local peoples’ livelihoods while ensuring that the forests are well conserved. These programmes have formalised access to collectively agreed forest products. These products are consumed directly or are marketed for income generation.

Forestry Commission stands on its belief that money does grow on trees and along the way, many people have also come to believe the same as they have benefited tremendously from forests and forest-based products.

deforestation and forest degradation, accounts for 12-29% of global greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the inclusion of reducing emissions from land use change is considered essential to achieve the objectives of the UNFCCC. Due to poor resources and knowledge, communities are cutting down vast tracts of forest in order to clear fields to plant their staple crops such as maize, sorghum etc.

Forest fires are a major driver behind decreasing biomass density and deforestation. Forest fires are a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented entirely however they can be

controlled to a large degree. Much deforestation is caused by casual logging activities within the communities, much of which is used as firewood for cooking and heating purposes and clearing more land for subsistence agriculture.

PHOTOS SOURCE: KARIBA REDD+ PROJECT

These have also traditionally provided habitats from which people hunt animals and insects and gather plants and innumerable organic materials. Forest plants are used as building materials, medicine, food, oils, perfumes, pigments, dyes, gums and resins. Insects are gathered as protein sources and are used for natural pest control. Animals are hunted for their meat, hides, feathers, furs and for ceremonial purposes.

Access to forest resources permits the development of methods to allow for income generation, which decreases dependency on state-supported assistance programmes.

other farmers like him are able to school fees and buy food for their families thereby enhancing their living standards in the process. The nursery was established in 2005.

The Kariba REDD+ Project is a forest conservation project aimed at providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for poor communities in Northern Zimbabwe, a region now suffering heavily from deforestation, poverty, and drought. The Kariba REDD+ Project involves the preservation of a vast and vital ecosystem surrounding the southern shorelines of Lake Kariba and its surrounding forests and communities. The Kariba REDD+ Project aims to reduce deforestation and at the same time improve community livelihoods through implementation of activities aimed at addressing the agents and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The upliftment of livelihoods comes from the sales of carbon offsets generated as a result of reduced deforestation.

The Kariba REDD+ Project has been running for the past 4 years and has been successfully implementing community projects such as Conservation agriculture, Nutritional gardening and Beekeeping. Communities have also benefited from borehole resuscitation, educational material and basic medical supplies all of which would otherwise not have been possible without the revenue generated by the project.

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FOOD

The 2016 Traditional and Organic Food and Seed Festival roars to life!

By Caroline Jacquet Bio Innovation Zimbabwe

organisations which meet about four times a year. At the last meeting we discussed how this local traditional food movement is growing rapidly but there are still a lot of people who really don’t understand healthy eating. So we decided to make a small booklet giving ideas on a nutritious diet and lifestyle promoting traditional and organic foods. We have to do our best to reverse the many bad habits that people have got into with their diets. I know you are very clear about what one should and shouldn’t eat and hence your remarkable health, even as you move through your 80s. But it’s amazing how muddled the wider public is about nutrition and healthy eating. Maybe we can feature you in our campaign at some stage! Our big challenge is in trying to get young people to change what they are eating.

Dear Aunty Simukai

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’ve been meaning to write to you for a few months now to tell you about something really exciting happening in Harare which I am sure will interest you. Ever since I was a child I have heard you talking about the need for us to ditch junk food and return to healthy, traditional foods like the ones which you used to give us when we visited you kumusha.

Well, do you remember when you visited us in 2013 and we went to the Food Festival together at the Harare Botanical Gardens? You said how much you enjoyed it. Well you would not believe what has happened since then. It is like Harare has traditional and organic food fever! It seems as though everyone is talking about going traditional. You can now buy all kinds of traditional and organic products in supermarkets and many are now packaged with brand names! Some companies are even taking traditional foods and using them in modern ways. You can buy herbal teas, baobab jam, roasted marula nuts and even Some of it was deep traditional stuff such as rupimongongo nuts! za, hanga stew, mufushwa ne dovi and mupunga but there were also new foods using traditional ingredients such as baobab ice cream, tsenza …it was amazing to see so many puffs, madhumbe chips and marula nut biscotti! I also tried lots of unusual drinks but my favourite different types of cow peas, nyimo was the rosella iced tea. It was so refreshing.

PHOTO SOURCE: Caroline Jacquet

It is also hard to know how much impact the festival is actually having. We operate on a shoestring and much as we would love to be able to measure this kind of thing it’s very difficult. But as we establish ourselves and if we can generate the resources, we’ll find ways to see how we are influencing the consumption of traditional and organic foods.

beans, sorghum, millet, mapudzi and melon seeds on display...

Aunty you have always said that we need to link farmers and consumers more in the struggle for healthier, fairer and more environmentalAnd the food festival itself has become a hot top- ly-friendly food systems in Zimbabwe. Well it ic and a true celebration of the goodness of our seems that is what the food festival has now behealthy food culture! Last year’s event was huge come. This year they decided to involve more and I was helping out as a volunteer. More than 1 farmers by having traditional seeds on display 000 people came and there were people from all and for sale. It gave people a chance to buy a wide over - posh people from the Northern suburbs, range of traditional seed varieties, some of which foreigners and since there were even free buses I have not seen for years. from town to the botanical gardens it was easy Farmers came from all over the country with for me and my friends to get there. their seeds, from Binga, Bulilima, ChimanimaThere were dozens of stalls selling all kinds of ni…it was amazing to see so many different types fresh, preserved and processed products. There of cow peas, nyimo beans, sorghum, millet, mawere stalls selling pure honey, oyster mush- pudzi and melon seeds on display of all differrooms, quails eggs, roadrunner chickens and ent sizes, shapes and colours. I thought some of dried fish. There was excellent live music, danc- them had died out long ago but it seems that the ing and fun activities for kids. I hardly saw our diversity is being kept alive in remote commukids the whole day because they were doing nities across the country and I realised how we face paints, colouring and having water fights in need to support these farmers to save and share the kids’ zone… and the lunches at the pop-up their seed especially if we get more years like this restaurants! Aunty, at first I did not know what one when the rains are so erratic. These tough to choose because there was so much on offer. local varieties are so much more drought and

Overall then, we are happy with the way the festival is developing. But of course there are some challenges too. Stalls and packaging have improved but I think there is a need for stallholders to have more information for visitors on produce, preparation instructions, and recipes, and for some of them to be more prepared to give/sell members of the public samples.

We agreed that we want next year’s festival to be ‘bigger and better’ and there were many different PHOTO SOURCE: Caroline Jacquet suggestions on how we can do that. One idea, disease resistant and many of them are more nu- which I’m sure we’ll pursue, is to have more actritious than the usual varieties which we see in tivities earlier in the week, in the lead up to the the shops. Also they seem to require few inputs festival. That way the festival, the celebration, so we can grow them organically. could become the culmination. We’d also like to Apparently the festival organisers invited par- extend the day of the festival by starting earlier ticipating farmers to a big meeting the day be- and/or finishing later. Healthy eating and exerfore the festival called a Dialogue Day. The idea cise go hand in hand (an early morning dance/ was for them to meet each other and to talk to exercise class followed by breakfast?) and being a some consumers about how to promote more festival with good music lends itself to going into traditional food products. The farmers were still the evening. talking about it the next day and they said for So let me know what you think of these ideas. them it was as exciting as the festival itself – like a You were the one who inspired me to get involved sort of conference. in the first place and now I am hooked! I hope I have now joined the Zimbabwe Traditional this letter will tempt you to come and join us at and Organic Food Forum which organis- this year’s 4th Traditional and Organic Food and es the festival. It is a group of individuals and Seed Festival!

Farm fresh mushrooms harvested while you wait.

Alternatively you can order via Whatsapp and your product will be delivered.

Door to door deliveries done 1500-1700pm Business hours: Mon- Sat 0700-1700 Cell: 0773 842 677 Email:nmupaso@mushtella.com Twitter: @mushtella Facebook: Mushtella Specialty Mushrooms www.mushtella.com

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9

C L I M AT E

Changing mindsets in the face of a changing climate

By Joy Mlambo Development Reality Institute

Climate change impact to the horticulture and rural producers Israel T. Mabhoo

Climate change has become one of the worst global crises of the 21st century. Whether one believes this phenomenon or not, its effects have been and will remain relentless especially on developing countries already crippled by poverty.

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ollective global action on climate change must therefore no longer be an agenda item for discussion, but a priority. There is undoubtedly therefore a dire need to bring to bare all necessary resources and efforts to fight climate change by means of both mitigation and adaptation.

In the face of this increasing environmental crisis and in addition to the already existing social and economic hardships in the global environment, youth and children are amongst the worst affected. That notwithstanding, there is an increasing appreciation of the little taped energy and creativity latent in this demographic of the population.

As a result, the Development Reality Institute (DRI) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) partnered to promote and support innovation by young people in the energy sector.

The youth and child focused initiative seeks to support social innovations addressing climate

Equally important to the work of the GiHUB is promoting innovation at a very young age, when cognitive development is still malleable, highly explorative and uniquely creative. change and other environmental challenges. The project titled Green Innovations Hub (GiHUB) has the overall objective of igniting social change and unlocking young people’s potential in contributing to achieving sustainable development through social innovation.

The work of the GiHUB recognises that it is not enough to just make available resources, but to also support capacity building and strengthening processes to enable better and more effective utilisation of resources. All supported innovations need to pass the test of serving the community in which the innovator is resident.

Equally important to the work of the GiHUB is promoting innovation at a very young age, when cognitive development is still malleable, highly explorative and uniquely creative.

Support under the project is rendered to school going children through institution based environmental clubs, or any such other clubs within schools. The support is provided in the form of small start-up grants to kick-start small projects at the school level. This component of the project within schools however is driven more by the need for training and demonstration versus an over-fixation on actual commercially viable activities.

The GiHUB believes in the potential and capacity of young people to innovate solutions around challenges they face on a day to day basis, the overriding mantra is ‘who better to address our own challenges, than ourselves’. Central to this thinking within the GiHUB is that young people resident in their communities understand their lived realities better than anyone else external to their environment, and are thus better capable of coming up with solutions to their own challenges.

The GiHUB launched its first Innovation Challenge Competition on the 27th of November 2015, with the primary objective of providing project financing, incubation and mentorship to young innovators who believe they have novel ideas to address energy challenges in their communities. This first pilot innovation call put on offer eight USD 5 000 grants for innovators in both rural and urban areas, and twelve USD 1 000 grants for schools within the rural and urban areas. Given that the focus of the innovation call was youth and children the age limit was set at thirty-five.

The challenge sought innovations from broadly three categories; rural, urban, and schools to cater to the various youth age groups as well as to various backgrounds. On the launch of the Innovation Challenge, a call for proposals was made and this was followed up by a mass media campaign to raise awareness about the Innovation Challenge and to encourage young people to apply. The media campaign utilised both the print and electronic media outlets coupled with a combination of live roadshows in targeted areas which engaged young people explaining the project and how to enter the competition.

This process will be followed by selection, shortlisting and adjudication of the most innovative ideas, which will be further refined at a bootcamp. At the boot camp, innovators will receive free training and mentorship from partners.

Once the shortlisted candidates have been capacitated and have had the opportunity to refine their ideas, they will pitch their ideas to a panel of experts and the winners of the innovation challenge will receive grants in any one of the two categories they would have applied. With respect to the schools category the adjudication will entail identifying twelve innovative ideas submitted by environmental clubs from both rural and urban areas and the winners will be known after the adjudication process is complete.

Though the innovation challenge is currently servicing only 6 provinces (Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare, Midlands and Mashonaland West), the project has potential to expand to all ten provinces and be self-sustaining through increased civil society, public and private corporations engagement and support. DRI and UNICEF anticipate that after a successful completion of the pilot phase (Sept 2015 – April 2016), the project can be scaled up. It is envisaged that the supported projects will buttress a burgeoning green movement with potential for stimulating a multiplier effect and reinvigorating the national economy using youth as a growth engine and catalyst of trade.

Ultimately the GiHUB through its vast network of partners aims to continuously assess and technically support progress of funded projects for upscale as well as hold more innovation challenges in different areas in the environmental sector. At inception the project was lead by the DRI and UNICEF, but to date the Hub boasts of over twenty partners forming a mosaic of multi-sectoral experience, background and persuasions.

The GiHUB network continues to grow, and intensity its efforts of bringing together various players who can carry forward the vision of the project.

Development Reality Institute is an innovation hub with a mission to mitigate and build society’s adaptive capacity to the effects of climate change. DRI achieves its mandate through capacity strengthening, policy analysis, knowledge management and programme interventions using cutting edge ICT solutions.

Alternative Business Alliance

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PHOTO SOURCE: ABA

ndeed, a lot of valuable information has been churned on Climate-change.

But the aggregate difference is the application of such information to the most relevant sector of food production, which, are the rural producers.

The negligence by the relevant authorities to provide such information to this Sector which depend on the weather and seasonal performances is a great denial and betrayal to the people’s livelihoods.

The Climate-change is no longer the technical issue to be known by the academics of this field alone, but the manner in which this knowledge has been unpacked is meant for every human being to understand how one ‘s life has an impact on the Environment leading to the Climate –effects, either positively or negatively.

ABA co-works with rural producers under the Producers Cluster with the scope of enhancing alternative lucrative markets, [market-linkages] and also urging the farmers to grow fresh produce which is organically-cultured.

The reality on ground is that, most farmers do not know the climate-trends which are:Affecting their social lives; Impacting on their livelihoods; Causing gender disparities and strains; Making poverty indicators grow;

What needs to be done Teach-ins on Climate-change; Knowledge on new-agricultural trends-kind of crops to plant and abandonment of such fertilizers & crop chemicals which are Environment unfriendly; Popularizing the Eco-friendly Agro-products; Environmental preservation information; Economic activities under the transforming climatic conditions; Value-addition and beneficiation;

www.naturallyzimbabwean.com

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C L I M AT E

Adapting to climate change through protecting and enriching natural woodlands and forests in Malipati, Chiredzi

By Thubelihle Nyoni

Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE)

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outhern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE), a regional NGO based in Zimbabwe, has embarked on a number of projects over the years through initiatives that promote Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). Zimbabwe is a country of about 13 million people, with a fluid, agro based economy and about 70% of the population living in rural areas. On the southern part of Zimbabwe, on the edge of one of the largest nature reserves in the country, the Gonarezhou National Park, lies Malipati, a community fighting to prevent the eventual effects of climate change on their livelihoods. Tucked away in the driest part of Zimbabwe’s Agro- ecological Region V, this community of about 3000 homes and about 5 people per household, is heavily dependent on agriculture. This region is a very dry part of the country which is suitable for drought tolerant crops like sorghum, millet and cow peas. However the ever changing climate is threatening food availability for this community. This is why SAFIRE has partnered with the Liechtensteinischer Entwicklungs Dienst (LED) in supporting community adaptation initiatives through the project “Adapting to climate change through protecting and enriching local natural woodlands and forests in Malipati, Chiredzi District”.

This project aims to strengthen the capacity of rural communities in Chiredzi district wards 13 and 15 to reduce carbon emissions through protection and enhancement of their forest resources. While the area is characterised by erratic rainfall, it has Mopani forests and woodlands which are fairly well-stocked. The forests are however under threat from clearance for agriculture as farmers try to cope with increasing droughts through extensive agriculture. Natural regeneration of the forests is hampered, in some areas, by over-grazing especially by goats

So far, farmers have been trained in conservation farming, a method which promotes good yields when there is low rainfall as it uses terrain friendly methods which promote soil protection and water conservation

NRM team taking tree inventories using diameter calipers

which eat the seedlings. The forest areas are also exposed to annual dry season fires which destroy both mature trees and saplings. In terms of crop production, the area experiences frequent crop failures due to low and erratic rainfall. The purpose of this project is to therefore help 3000 households in rural communities of Malipati to adapt to climate change through promoting the adoption of climate adapted farming methods like conservation farming while protecting and enriching their forests and woodlands for carbon sequestration, other environmental services and for production of non-timber forest products.

So far, farmers have been trained in conservation farming, a method which promotes good yields when there is low rainfall as it uses terrain friendly methods which promote soil protection and water conservation such as water harvesting basins and mulching with emphasis placed on ripper tine technology. Furthermore, a total of 500 farmers have been provided with millet, sorghum and cow peas seed this year. Additionally, communities are benefiting from forest management projects like bee keeping which protect their forest while providing them revenue for livelihood. To develop a revenue base for the future while also providing nutrition, communities have been further trained in raising fruit trees with a nursery and four orchards set up at 2 Primary schools and 2 Secondary schools in the 2 wards. Since protecting the valuable forest is part of the project, the communities are benefiting from fire-fighting training and awareness and are being provided with firefighting tools to better protect their grazing lands for their animals to

Chishinya FC the winners of the 2015 Carbon shield

NRM team ready for pilot survey of carbon stocks after training

feed. Furthermore, Natural Resources Management (NRM) committees in both wards have been trained in carbon assessment methods and they are now conversant with the use of clinometers, diameter tapes, GPS units and calipers among other tools which are normally used by qualified foresters.

In order to involve young people in the community project as well as to raise awareness about both the concept of climate change and carbon sequestration, community sports competitions are held every year as well as schools drama and public speaking competitions. These are held in conjunction with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and this year the theme was ‘Climate change-Knowledge is power’. 7 Primary schools and 3 Secondary schools took part in this year’s schools competition and 7 soccer teams and 6 netball teams took part in the 2 stage community competitions played across 3 venues.

More than 4500 students, parents and teachers attended the two events.

PHOTOS SOURCE: SAFIRE

Seedlings in the nursery

School children are also involved in the project through the seed collection programme whereby 8 schools were given branded seed collection bags so as to collect seeds from students to plant in the nursery. More than 10 different types of seeds were collected (mostly indigenous trees) and were sorted, graded and some planted on National tree planting day and this was very exciting for the children. The idea to have school children collect seeds, with some of the seeds coming from trees in their homes for the nursdevelopment calls ery has twoSustainable main advantages.

Firstly the seeds are from trees that are already adapted to the for concerted efforts towards area as mostbuilding of the seeds of indigenous seed anare inclusive, sustainor exotic trees growing in the region. Secondly, able and resilient future forand the link between the community nursery peopleactivities and planet. schools awareness on climate change is cemented.

SAFIRE (Established in 1994) aims to improve rural livelihoods and resilience through the sustainable utilisation, commercialisation and management of natural resources. SAFIRE has enabled communities to achieve food security, cope and adapt to the adverse effects of disasters like climate change induced droughts.

What is Sustainable Development?

It has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize these three core elements

These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.

Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. To this end, there must be promotion of sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.

SOURCE: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/

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Muunganirwa fish project

Quick Facts The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a species of tilapia, a cichlid fish native to Africa from Egypt south to East and Central Africa, and as far west as Gambia.

By Raymond Muwaniri

It lives for up to 9 years.

POVOAfrika Trust

About the Village

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uunganirwa Village is located in Ward 14 Muchapondwa, Bindura District. The village is under Chief Musana and the local Village Head (Sabhuku) is Ishmile Muunganirwa. The village has a population of 463 people in 105 households. Muunganirwa Fish and Horticulture Cooperative has 65 members, 27 from Chakona village and 42 members from Muunganirwa, 22 men and 20 women. The cooperative has a total area of about 26 hectares where they practice fishery projects and horticulture, growing cucumbers, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, beans among other vegetables. The abundant spring water in the area is used for irrigation of crops and the fish project. In 2006 the cooperative entered the Zimbabwe Plough Conservation Competition coordinated by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). They became district winners, provincial winners and 5th in the national competitions.

Projects members have more income from the fish sales improving their livelihood. They have a better standard of living because they can make a living from the land.

Project Background Muunganirwa Fish Project was officially launched on the 17th of June 2015 and only include 25 members from Muunganirwa village. In 2012 they approached Aquaculture to assisted them in securing funding for fishery projects. Aquaculture is an non governmental organization in Zimbabwe that fosters sustainable and responsible development of fisheries and aquaculture systems to improve peoples livelihoods and economic development. With assistance from Aquaculture, Muunganirwa Fish Cooperative received a $50,000 grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through their Small Grants Programme (SGP). With the money the cooperative managed to build 20 ponds, 20 wheel barrows, 28 pick heads, 40 shovels, 300 bags of cement and wire. They invested in tree planting, 100 mango trees, 50 avocado, 20 peach and 100 banana trees.

They also initially bought 1.5tonnes of fish feed.

The outlet pipe spill excess water into the surrounding crop fields. Each Pond is 200m2, 1.3m deep and 60 cm at the shallow end. The projects members received training on the project from Aquaculture, the Department of Livestock Production, Agritex, National Parks and The Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

Before adding the fish the ponds are cultured, this is a process of adding tied bags of manure that encourages the build up of plankton that will feed the fish. To each pond they added, 20kgs of cow manure, 10kgs pig manure and 8kg of chicken manure which is the strongest. The fingerlings came from Lake Harvest in Kariba in a plastic bag with oxygen. The young fish are placed in the pond still in their bag and left for 15 to 20 minutes for the fish to adjust to the new water, then the bag is opened. One pond could have as much as 2000 fish, it is advised to have 10 fingerlings per square meter. To supplement the fishes diet they add pellets, 2kg of aqua-feed spread out 3 times a day. The feed also decides the sex of the fish with males preferred because they grow faster. It takes about 5 months for the fish to mature, the older the fish gets the less it eats. When fish are still young they eat 36% of their body weight and when they are grown only 2%. For now the cooperative has 1 type of fish, a tilapia bream called Niloticus. They have 1 pond with another type of bream from the local river, they are experimenting to see if it is a viable option. There is also another pond which is specifically for hatchery.

Harvesting The cooperative harvests each pond 4 times a year. All 25 members are present on harvest day as well as community members who wish to purchase fish. The fish are caught in nets and weighed, then split for home consumption for the project members (2kg each), and the rest is then sold to the community. A notice is put up at the local shops to alert the community of harvest day. Each pond can provide 100kg worth of fish.

Each fish has the potential to reach 425g but they harvest them at about 200/250g. The fish must be sold on the same day because they do not have fridges to store the fish.

It is the most commonly cultured cichlid.

Project Benefits Projects members have more income from the fish sales improving their livelihood. They have a better standard of living because they can make a living from the land. They have more protein in their diet which is available at any point in time.

The project gets a lot of visitors from all over Zimbabwe and other countries, increasing their network. Some of these visitors end up being a potential market.

The list of visitors includes; former US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, the now Minister of Environment, Water, Climate and Natural resources, Honorable Opah Muchinguri, Patrick Zhuwao among others.

Major Challenges

In recent research done in Kenya, this fish has been shown to feed on mosquito larvae, making it a possible tool in the fight against malaria in Africa.

Circular nests are built predominantly by males through mouth digging to become future spawning sites.

After spawning in a nest made by a male, the young fry or eggs are carried in the mouth of the mother for a period of 12 days.

Aquaculture of the Nile tilapia dates back to Ancient Egypt.

It is an omnivore, feeding on plankton as well as on higher plants.

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_tilapia

Linking the fish and the other farm produce to markets is a big challenge, they do not own any vehicles to get their produce to market (Mbare, Hatcliffe, Bindura) and have to rely on waiting on the road side for public transport (kombi’s) to take produce to market. They have no fridges for storing harvested fish and increasing the shelf life, electricity wires are 3km away so there is a need for solar fridges. Otters are a surprise challenge they had not factored.

Otters regularly raid our ponds and devastate the fish populations. The solution would be to poison suspected otter holes but it is very hard to identify otter holes and there is a risk of poisoning other harmless species. Another solution would be to fence all the ponds but they cannot afford to do that at the moment. Due to climate change there less rains which is also coming late.

With less rain comes less variety of crops to grow and because they use flood irrigation they are now experiencing water shortages. Wetlands and springs are also drying, village heads are selling land and water is being used inappropriately. The horticulture project includes members from other nearby villages, the funding for the fish project was only allocated to the Muunganirwa village members, 25 of them. So this has caused conflict with the other villagers in the

cooperative who feel they should have been included in the fishery project. Only16 hectares of the overall land is fenced, 10 hectares is not fenced and crops here are open to raids from cattle and goats in the areas.

The Future Muunganirwa cooperative has big plans for the future. They would like value edition training to increase their knowledge and understanding, e.g. market linkages that can help them market their produce.

The cooperative hopes to raise more funds to purchase more fences for the entire area.

They intend to dam the water in the streams so they can use the water at their own pace.

With decreasing water levels they would like to purchase engines and pipes to pump water from the river. They also intend to get involved in bee keeping and mushroom growing, as well as start the canning and drying of tomatoes for selling. They are asking for any assistance for these plans from government or civil society groups.

Conclusion

PHOTO: RAYMOND MUWANIRI

The Ponds The fishery project has 20 ponds, 18 Seepage and 2 Contour ponds. Seepage ponds are built where water naturally occurs, Contour ponds are dug on dry land with cement at the bottom and soil added on the top. Trees are planted around the ponds to preserves the water as shade reduces evaporation. Every pond has an inlet and outlet pipe to control the level of water in the pond.

Groups of Nile tilapia establish social hierarchies in which the dominant males have priority for both food and mating.

The Muunganirwa Cooperative is registered officially as an SME. The cooperative was rated by a research conducted by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Agritex, to see how organized cooperatives were. They received an 82-86% knowledge rating and a grade 3 (needing little assistance), with grade 1 being the lowest (starting off ) and grade 4 being the highest (no need for support). Among the benefits of having so many high profile visitors they were invited by the government to showcased the projects at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. This cooperative is a very good example to the rest of Zimbabwe that if landscape and resources in your area is used wisely and sustainably, it can bring income and improve the standard of living.

If anyone wants more information about the fish project or would like to help the cooperative with their future please contact Aquaculture or Mr Muunganirwa on (+263) 0773428243

FISH PHOTO: BJØRN CHRISTIAN TØRRISSEN , www.bjornfree.com

PROFILE

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SUSTAINZIM - Think Live Stay Green!

BIODIVERSITY

Biotechnology trust of Zimbabwe project supported by UNDP-Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme

By Tsitsi Wutawunashe Biotechnology Trust Of Zimbabwe

Background

The drip irrigation system comprises of 3 x 10 000L plastic water tanks in the community garden that are fed water from an 18/2000 solar powered water pump which pumps 60 000 litres a day. This solar system is part of an initiative to promote the use of sustainable renewable energy in agriculture.

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEFSGP) in Zimbabwe came into existence in 1993 after the 1992 Rio-Earth Summit to provide financial and technical support to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who wish to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods. The GEFSGP supports environmental projects under five thematic areas that include biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, reversing land degradation and elimination of chemicals.

Drip irrigation pipes laid out in the garden Besides the solar technology, the project beneficiaries have put up drip irrigation that helps in managing the water more efficiently. To date the project has been able to produce organic horticultural products with an average per farmer of 87 bundles of green vegetables, 3x50kg pockets of butternuts, 1 ox-drawn cut (450kgs) of butternuts, 8x20 litre buckets of tomatoes, and 12 x 10 Litre buckets (120kgs) of okra per each planting season

Biotechnology Trust of Zimbabwe (BTZ) Project in Hwedza In the wake of severe recurrent droughts in Zimbabwe that have been attributed to climate change which has caused dramatic and devas- The solar system that has been set up tating changes in weather patterns across the globe, BTZ project under Wedza district has not been spared. As if this is not enough, the 2015-2016 El NiĂąo effect has resulted in severe high temperatures across the country. Of the 172 projects funded by GEFSGP across Zimbabwe, 17% of the project portfolio is on Climate Change mitigation and resilience and one of these is BTZ in Mawire Ward 4, Hwedza District, Mashonaland East Province. Hwedza District has experienced the devastating effects Project members erecting fence and laying pipes for drip irrigation of climate change such as erratic rainfall and very high temperatures which have crippled agricultural production in this region that is strongly dependent on agriculture for food and income generation. Through funding from GEFSGP, BTZ initiated a project on climate change mitigation and resilience through reforestation and installation of solar powered irrigation for sustainable livelihoods. The project is benefiting 30 households constituting of 81 male and 121 female beneficiaries.

Different crops under production The project has helped to build resilience by ensuring a reliable supply of water that has enabled the project to enhance food security. The community is now producing its own healthy organic agricultural products for home consumption and surplus for selling in an environment where people in the region are enduring a dry spell. Hence the project has helped in averting hunger through increasing food availability not just for the beneficiaries but all other community members that buy the products. In terms of income, there is an average of US$100.00 per household per month. Such income is then used to pay school fees, meeting health needs among other financial needs.

Establishment of woodlots The project being an environment conservation project mainly focusing on Climate Change mitigation has also established two woodlots measuring 2 hectares each, one for gum trees and the other for Msasa trees. With support from forestry commission, the project has to date raised 1200 gum trees and 750 Msasa trees survived. These newly planted trees revive the degraded natural woodland and prevent further degradation. The trees also help in terms of carbon sequestration. On the whole, project by BTZ demonstrates how issues of climate change can be tackled in an integrated manner in terms of mitigation and building resilience for enhancing livelihoods.

BTZ project results Provision of solar powered drip irrigation One of the major activities to promote climate change mitigation was the establishment of solar powered drip irrigation in Mawire ward 4. The solar powered drip irrigation covers a total area of 4.2 hectares benefiting the 30 households (81 males and 121 females) through agriculture.

Storage tanks installed at the garden

9 INDUSTRY, INNOVATION &

INFRASTRUCTURE

2030

1 NOPOVERTY

2 ZERO HUNGER

3

10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES

11 SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND

12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

COMMUNITIES

GOOD HEALTH & WELL BEING

& PRODUCTION

4

QUALITY EDUCATION

13 CLIMATE ACTION

5

GENDER EQUALITY

BELOW 14 LIFE WATER

WATER 6 CLEAN AND SANITATION

15 LIFE ON LAND

& 7 AFFORDABLE CLEAN ENERGY

WORK 8 DECENT AND ECONOMIC

JUSTICE 16 PEACE, AND STRONG INSTITIONS

17 PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

The Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015.

GROWTH

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13

SOLAR

I

n most parts of Africa, irrigation agriculture is performed with the use of fossil fuels or labour intensive technologies. In Zimbabwe, in Gwanda district,Matabeleland South province, farmers are using diesel powered combustion engines to drive pumps, whilst in Malawi, in Nsanje and Chikwawa districts,the Southern Region of Malawi farmers are using treadle pumps to irrigate their farms. The use of diesel is very expensive and also pollutes the environment and the air, whilst treadle pumps are laborious and need a lot of energy to operate, the total irrigated area is small due to the capacity of treadle pump. The technologies currently in use in Malawi and Zimbabwe present challenges for the communities.

Harnessing solar power to tackle energy poverty in rural Zimbabwe and Malawi

By Martha Munyoro Katsi Practical Action

With modern technology and new techniques, the SE4RC project is establishing solar powered decentralised mini grids in isolated rural communities in Zimbabwe and Malawi. 200kw of electricity will be generated to support proPractical Action Southern Africa in Partner- ductive end use, powering schools and clinics ship with SNV Netherlands Development Or- and enabling at least 300,000 people to access ganisation, Dabane Trust in Zimbabwe Hivos, energy services.

Churches Action in Relief and Development The overall objective of this project is to contrib(CARD) and Environment Africa in Malawi, ute to the attainment of the sustainable energy will modernise agriculture irrigation through a for all (SE4All) goal that aims to ensure universal four year Sustainable Energy for Rural Commu- access to modern energy services in rural areas nities (SE4RC) project.

Besides ensuring food security for the small The SE4RC project is an exciting initiative holder irrigation in the two countries, the solar that has the potential to greatly improve the so- energy will also benefit other sectors of the comcio-economic status of the rural communities in munities resulting in improved health, education the said two countries. This will go a long way in facilities and entrepreneurship development. Foredressing the inequalities of rural energy access. cus will also be on productive end use of energy to The SE4RC Project is being funded by the Eu- improve the incomes of the target communities. ropean Union with co-funding from GEF Small The project has established a solar powered deGrants Programme and The Opec Fund for In- centralised mini grid in Gwanda, in Zimbabwe ternational Development (OFID). generating 99Kw.

The communities contributed labour whilst the contractors focused on the technical aspects but also building the capacities of selected community members to ensure sustainability. Trained community members will be able to manage the power station and undertake regular maintenance of the systems. At least 19 small local entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to invest in energy service centres (small energy kiosks for example battery charging, small shops, study centers-internet cafes).

In Malawi, another solar mini grid will be established in Nsanje at Nyamvuwu and Chimombo and in Chikwawa at Mwalija and Nazoro expected to generate generate120Kw. A total of 20,000 people in Malawi and 10,000 people in Zimbabwe are expected to benefit from accessing renewable energy services. As a sustainability measure, the project will build capacities of the communities on areas such as operations and maintenance of the solar pumping system.

The same communities are also to be trained on Participatory Market Systems Analysis and Transformational Leadership. The trainings will ensure the schemes are run as businesses for financial viability by people with leadership skills as well as technical capacity which consequently contribute to the sustainability of the project.

Mashaba solar plant in Gwanda

The project will demonstrate a case for public-private partnerships in delivering energy access, whilst contributing to an enabling environment for the establishment of off grid systems in Zimbabwe and Malawi through a series of government engagements.

Illustrator: Tafadzwa Tarumbwa Written by: Elton Mjanana & Raymond Muwaniri

In each issue Luthando and Masimba will be tackling different issues to do with climate change and sustainable development by speaking directly with the affected communites.

Green Agents, Luthando and Masimba are super heroes dedicated to restoring the earth’s dignity and preservation through adherence to principles of living ‘green’. Being ten year olds, their special interest is in their peers and teenagers, whom they relate to and believe in ‘catching them young’. Using their unique powers, that include flying to far-away places at the speed of lighting, talking to nature & animals and predicting the future coupled with their special gifts for persuasion, they will turn mindsets and change behavior and attitudes where climate change and green issues are concerned. Their mission is to use humans to save the World through empowering them with knowledge and awareness on the issues around them, their environment and ecosystem etc.

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SOLAR

Solar brings joy to Gwanda G

wanda District is one of the driest areas in Zimbabwe. The district is in farming natural region 5 of the country and receives very little rainfall. As such the people in Gwanda have always been hit by severe droughts and hunger. The 2015/16 agricultural season was bad for the farmers as most parts of the country received very low rainfall.

Things are beginning to change for small holder farmers who have always struggled to survive in the harsh environment. Despite low rainfall in the areas,villagers in various wards in Gwanda are now smiling all the way to their gardens, thanks to the Trocaire and Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (JOAC) funded solar powered garden projects being implemented by Practical Action in wards 6,7,8,9,13 and 14 in Gwanda.

Janet also noted that most farmers are now able to sell their excess crops such as leafy vegetables,tomatoes,green mealies to other people in their communities as well as other neigbouring communities.

Janet Moyo (54), a vegetable and maize farmer in Sibula village,Gwanda ward 8 thanked Practical Action for implementing such a project. In Janet’s words,“This place is dry and water is a challenge for instance,we have not yet received any rains since October, but thanks to the solar powered garden projects,we are now smiling all the way to our gardens.

This project came as a miracle to us”. Janet also noted that most farmers are now able to sell their excess crops such as leafy vegetables,tomatoes,green mealies to other people in their communities as well as other neigbouring communities.

Masotsha Leslie Tshalibe (60),chairman of the Matshokodo solar powered garden,says the project transformed the lives of people

By Martha Munyoro Katsi Practical Action

in Gwanda,“The solar powered projects by Trocaire and JOAC being implemented by Practical Action in different parts of Gwanda transformed the lives of most people, the projects enable families to increase food security and income generation”. Tshalibe added,”the projects have also improved access to clean water as submersible pumps are buried in dry river beds and they tap directly from the water table.

The water is clean and safe for household use”.

Lack of water due to climate change has affected most parts of the country resulting in most fields in Gwanda not being tilled. It is only those using the solar irrigation system who can boast of having crops in their gardens. Various horticulture crops which include rape, tomatoes, maize and onions just to mention a few are now being grown in these gardens.

“With the solar technology we no longer need to wait for the much needed rains for our crops. As you can see, by this time of the year, we are supposed to be receiving rains,but due to climate change, rain patterns have completely changed and temperatures have also increased ”,said Mthulisi Bhebhe a farmer at Matshokodo garden in ward 8.

The change has been brought about by two projects. The Increasing Food Security and Resilience to Climate Shocks Project funded by UKAid through Trocaire and Increasing Food Security for Poor Vulnerable Households in Gwanda District of Zimbabwe project funded by JOAC. The projects seek to increase food security and resilience to

The projects have also improved access to water, diversified income sources for improved livelihoods of small holder farmers and while enhancing food production capacity for small holder farmers through use of more climate resilient agricultural strategies.

climate shocks in Gwanda district. The projects have also improved access to water, diversified income sources for improved livelihoods of small holder farmers and while enhancing food production capacity for small holder farmers through use of more climate resilient agricultural strategies.

The project has overseen the installation of nine solar gardens (five under Troicaire funding which will benefit 250 small scale farmers whilst three have been installed under JOAC funding benefiting 80 direct small scale farmers). These solar pumps mean that the community members are able to water their gardens even during the dry season.

The technology includes a solar pump, complete with panels, 10,000 litre tanks complete with tank stands and drip kits . A solar-powered submersible pump submerged in the river bed pumps water into a big tank. The farmers, then irrigate their crops using water from the storage tank.

“The pump is buried in the sand and is tapping from the water table. Even if the rains are not enough to flood the river, we are safe because we are depending on the water table. Each household has two long vegetable beds and two long maize beds measuring 1x12metres each. This is the first year and in the next three years we will be bigger,” Mthulisi Bhebhe added. Prior to this farmers used to use water from the rivers and wells which the farmers would dig and use to irrigate their garden vegetable. If ever the nation wants to attain sustainable agriculture, renewable energy is the way to go solar and agriculture connection is a true solution.

Practical Action is an international development agency working with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their lives using technology. Appropriate technologies developed centre around renewable energy, food production, agro-processing, water, sanitation, hygiene promotion, small enterprise development, building and shelter, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

KB KBMpofu Mpofu FREELANCE FREELANCEPHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER

+263 +26399883 883696 696 +263 +2637171660 6605615 5615 Kb@kbmpofu.com Kb@kbmpofu.com www.kbmpofu.com www.kbmpofu.com

Tweeted News Sustainable Development in Zimbabwe Use #SustainZim and follow us on twitter @SustainZim

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DIRECTORY & EVENTS

Calendar of Events for 2016 Weekly Maasdorp Farmers’ Market and Friday Amanzi Food Market TBA 4th Traditional and Organic Food and Seed Festival, Harare Botanical Gardens, Sep (exact dates TBA) 2016

March 21 - International Forest Day 22 - World Water Day 23 - World Meteorological 27 - Earth Hour April 14 - Mashaba Solar Power Plant commissioning 22 - Earth Day 2nd week of May - National Fire week

May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity June 5 - World Environment Day 17 - World Desertification Day 16 - International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer 1st Saturday of December - National Tree Planting Day

How to contribute

Directory of our contributors ABA- Alternative Business Alliance Suite 208, 2nd Floor, St. Barbara Hse. Cnr. Leopold Takawira/Nelson Mandela Strs, Harare, Zimbabwe Tel:+263 774 586 005 Email:abaprograms8@gmail.com Tel: +263 733 545 433 Email: aba.opportunity@gmail.com Aquaculture +263 77 271 7646 / +263 77 380 2355 +263 71 283 1488 www.aquaculturezim.org/

Bio Innovation Zimbabwe Tel: + 263 772 158313 Email: caroline@bio-innovation.org; hararefoodfestival@gmail.com www.bio-innovation.org; www.naturallyzimbabwean.com

Development Reality Institute Tel: +263 496987 Email: info@driafrica.org www.driafrica.org

Forestry Commission Email: makotoviolet@yahoo.com/ violet@forestry.co.zw Tel: 04-498436-9 www.forestry.co.zw

Aims and Objectives Kariba REDD+ Project Tel: +2634 774567729 Email: info@carbongreenafrica.net www.carbongreenafrica.net

Practical Action Southern Africa Tel:+263 776631-3 Email: practicalaction@ practicalaction.org.zw www.practicalaction.org/southernafrica Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE) Tel: 263 4 740 384-5/ 740 390 Email: info@safire.co.zw www.safireweb.org

UNICEF Zimbabwe Tel:+263 4 703941/2 or 731840 Email: harare@unicef.org www.unicef.org/zimbabwe

If you have any events please send them to the contribute@sustainzim.org

Provide a resource for Green Issues in Zimbabwe (print & Online) Educate Zimbabweans on Global Warming and Climate Change Reach out to communities on the importance of Sustainable Development Change of mindset and reduction in Zimbabweans carbon footprint Showcase current green projects in Zimbabwe with hope of emulation

Results and Outcomes Tangible newspaper that educates Zimbabweans on Green Culture Database on all Green Initiatives in Zimbabwe Change of mind-set of our readers towards a more sustainable livelihood Emulation of current green projects and increase in the number of green initiatives Increase of more environmentally friendly practices

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Content must be original work, and must not have been published/ accepted for publication elsewhere.

In the event that there is a request to republish the work elsewhere, POVOAfrika will link the creator directly and will not act as a middle man.

It is the responsibility of authors to ensure that all copyright issues have been addressed prior to submission.

Any consequences for copyright law of infringement will be duly borne by the defaulting author.

You the creator will retain all rights to your work.

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AWARDS

The Emerge Competition: ‘Living Tomorrow’

By RUVIMBO MOYO Emerge

I

n July 2015, Ruvimbo Moyo launched Emerge, a competition that promotes innovative concepts that re-think the current rural and urban conditions, reaping new proposals that are a direct reflection of the continent’s transformative efforts and mobilizing young architects to make vital contributions to their communities and countries. The competition aims to bring together the wealth of talent in universities, government, organisations and general public seeking solutions by creating a database of ideas that can be funded both privately and publicly.

The 2015 theme ‘Living Tomorrow’ challenged students to apply their design skills on the issue of sustainability. The students were required to define ‘a building of the future’ and to explore an architectural program that considers environmental and agricultural solutions, cultural barriers, building technology and that addresses affordability. A total of US$1 000 was awarded to the winners, which went towards paying tuition fees. The winners were published on the Emerge Competition website as well as in POVO Afrika’s SustainZim green newspaper.

Following the launch of the Emerge competition, we received registrations from 56 Zimbabwean architecture students from 13 counties across the globe. The feedback has been encouraging and we have used social media as the main tool for advertising. Architecture schools in Zimbabwe have also shown interest in incorporating future competition briefs in their curriculum, making it easier for students to submit a proposal without compromising their academic programs.

Jury’s General Comments The Jury acknowledged the great efforts made by all participants. It was touching and inspiring to see some very strong submissions already concerned about the reality and context of their present lives. We were excited to see some provocative and ambitious designs that took a hard look at the role of buildings in securing our food, water and energy. Most of the submissions displayed very good rendering and draftsmanship skills. The jury advocates for education across Africa and training our future professionals for problem-solving in real contexts. The future is bright and we know some of these students will graduate to become relevant problem-solvers in their communities. We push students to continue questioning the role of architecture in the FUTURE.

Jury’s Comments On Winning Projects The winning proposal by Michael Hobbs (University Of Cape Town) met the challenge posed by the brief with maturity and imagination. It would be interesting to see this concept adapted in other cities across the country.

The judges thought this project held the ideals the competition wishes to uphold.

In second place, the proposal by Tinotenda Ncube (Harare Polytechnic) had the nature conservation as the driving program. It will be interesting to see this design explored further within its context and to keep track of the impact such an intervention will make. A lovely design proposal.

In third place, the proposal by Marvin Ncube (National University of Science And Technology) makes good use of existing technology and offers beautiful interior solutions with a design intent that shows an understanding of the brief. The ‘house for tomorrow’ concept could be morphed and adapted to address the different needs and requirements of Zimbabweans.

More information on these proposals can be found at www.emergecompetition.com Emerge would like to thank all the students who participated in the 2015 ‘Living Tomorrow’ competition as well as the judges; Adam-Lee-Casey, Nicolas-Patience Basabose, Maxwell Mutanda and Ruvimbo Moyo for their dedication and support.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors; the Rotary Club of Claremont, RM Design Studio, Povo Afrika Trust, Tappnology and Speabora, for their commitment to making 2015 a successful first year.

The Emerge Competition is looking for sponsors. Individuals and organisations are invited to support our efforts in promoting innovative concepts and sponsoring tertiary education. Email info@ emergecompetition.com for more information. Visit the competition website www.emergecompetition.com

1st - Michael Hobbs

2nd - Tinotenda Ncube

3rd - Marvin Ncube

A project to collect stationery (notebooks, pens, pencils and rulers) to aid boys and girls in need at Vimbai Primary School in Norton.

Donate some stationery today

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Linda Gabriel

Consultant in Development of Arts in Africa Arts Administrator Spoken Word Artivist | Festival Curator | Events Manager

The Genesis...

Certain things in life are just meant to be. Water courses through rivers, days change into nights and nights become days. It is the natural course of all things since inception. Still, mankind grapples with the meaning of existence eternally searching for answers. It takes the most sensitively attuned to provide answers to life’s everyday challenges. At Junechild Corporate, we have the most creative solutions to help simplify your product offering.

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