Kunene farmers trained to adapt to climate change
The Improving Rangeland and Ecosystem Management Practices of Smallholder Farmers (IREMA) Project hosted a training of trainers workshop on integrated climate change adaptation in farming activities in Khorixas.
According to the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) of Namibia, small-scale farmers in the Kunene Region have endured recurrent drought and flood events over the past decade that have resulted in the loss of their primary form of livelihood.
Many Kunene inhabitants depend on livestock farming, community-based natural resource management, and the use of biodiversity products, to meet their daily needs.
"The natural resource-based livelihoods are vulnerable to climate change to some extent. Namibia continues to observe the ongoing natural variability and changes in rainfall patterns, hence the dominant extreme weather conditions in recent years," said the EIF.
"Climate change is here and we are seeing changes in weather patterns, and we have to be prepared for the climate change brought about by climate variability," chief agricultural technician in the agriculture ministry, Esegiel Ganchab, said at the training session that took place this week.
Meaningful changes
Delivering remarks on behalf of the EIF, Lot Ndamanomhata said that the training session is in a unique position to bring about meaningful change, as the trainees must train others in their communities about integrating climate change adaptation and ensure that the developed adaptation strategies are implemented at the grassroots level.
The EIF contracted Bluewaves Development Consultants to undertake a climate change vulnerability assessment in the region.
The assessment aims to support the IREMA Kunene Project to reduce climate-driven risks in targeted landscapes through developing and implementing cost-effective drought adaptation options to ensure food and nutrition security, as well as improved livelihoods of the local communities and improved ecosystem wellbeing in the target areas.
Better equipped
Climate change adaptation is defined as a process by which strategies to moderate, cope with, and take advantage of the consequences of climatic events are enhanced, developed, and implemented.
The training of trainers is primarily focused on strengthening capacities to support smallholder farmers, farmers' associations, and local communities.
The training aims to capacitate selected stakeholders, who in turn are expected to support smallholder farmers, farmers’ groups, and various institutions in Kunene to enhance their resilience to social, economic, and environmental risks and shocks by mainstreaming climate change adaptation options into their farming activities.
Understanding and adapting
The EIF said that this will further help guide communities in implementing various steps and activities that constitute processes of adapting to climate variabilities.
The modules covered in the workshop ranged from understanding climate change adaptation; cost-effective climate change adaptation options in arable farming; analysis of risks and hazards associated with climate change in the Kunene Region; alternative livelihoods options; biodiversity economy; managing human-wildlife conflict; lessons learned from crop cultivation good practices; livestock good practices; and solar predator light technology.
According to the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) of Namibia, small-scale farmers in the Kunene Region have endured recurrent drought and flood events over the past decade that have resulted in the loss of their primary form of livelihood.
Many Kunene inhabitants depend on livestock farming, community-based natural resource management, and the use of biodiversity products, to meet their daily needs.
"The natural resource-based livelihoods are vulnerable to climate change to some extent. Namibia continues to observe the ongoing natural variability and changes in rainfall patterns, hence the dominant extreme weather conditions in recent years," said the EIF.
"Climate change is here and we are seeing changes in weather patterns, and we have to be prepared for the climate change brought about by climate variability," chief agricultural technician in the agriculture ministry, Esegiel Ganchab, said at the training session that took place this week.
Meaningful changes
Delivering remarks on behalf of the EIF, Lot Ndamanomhata said that the training session is in a unique position to bring about meaningful change, as the trainees must train others in their communities about integrating climate change adaptation and ensure that the developed adaptation strategies are implemented at the grassroots level.
The EIF contracted Bluewaves Development Consultants to undertake a climate change vulnerability assessment in the region.
The assessment aims to support the IREMA Kunene Project to reduce climate-driven risks in targeted landscapes through developing and implementing cost-effective drought adaptation options to ensure food and nutrition security, as well as improved livelihoods of the local communities and improved ecosystem wellbeing in the target areas.
Better equipped
Climate change adaptation is defined as a process by which strategies to moderate, cope with, and take advantage of the consequences of climatic events are enhanced, developed, and implemented.
The training of trainers is primarily focused on strengthening capacities to support smallholder farmers, farmers' associations, and local communities.
The training aims to capacitate selected stakeholders, who in turn are expected to support smallholder farmers, farmers’ groups, and various institutions in Kunene to enhance their resilience to social, economic, and environmental risks and shocks by mainstreaming climate change adaptation options into their farming activities.
Understanding and adapting
The EIF said that this will further help guide communities in implementing various steps and activities that constitute processes of adapting to climate variabilities.
The modules covered in the workshop ranged from understanding climate change adaptation; cost-effective climate change adaptation options in arable farming; analysis of risks and hazards associated with climate change in the Kunene Region; alternative livelihoods options; biodiversity economy; managing human-wildlife conflict; lessons learned from crop cultivation good practices; livestock good practices; and solar predator light technology.
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