Zimbabwe: Govt to improve climate change control systems

By Elita Chikwati

Government is improving planning, early warning and climate change management systems to cushion small holder farmers from extreme weather events and boost production to necessitate national food security, a senior Government official has said.

Already, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement is promoting production of drought tolerant crops and rehabilitating dams and irrigation schemes.

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Deputy Minister Karoro said the transformation of small holder agriculture was necessary in view of climate change, recent droughts and tropical cyclones.

“Recent disasters such as Cyclone Idai, which ravaged parts of Zimbabwe early this year, recurrent flooding in Chiredzi and Muzarabani as well as numerous reports of destruction of property and crops by strong winds in places such as Hurungwe, emphasise the urgent need for better planning method, early warning and climate management.

“This includes the need for a robust climate early warning system that includes the effective seasonal climate forecasting and dissemination to users such as farmers,” he said.

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