Ghana’s Cocoa-Eco Project to receive support from IITA

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has expressed interest in supporting interventions to address the impact of climate variability and climate change on Ghana’s cocoa production.

The Institute would partner with SNV Ghana to support cocoa farmers in how they can “best find a balance between intensification, adaptation and mitigation and identify short-and long-term risks and benefits” under the Cocoa-Eco Project, that SNV and the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union are implementing.

Mithika Mwenda of PACJA giving the Civil Society position at the upcoming COP19

Click here to listen to the voice

Press release

21 October 2013

AFRICA CAN LEAD!

Civil Society Call for Urgent Ambitious Action on Climate Change

Civil society representatives from across the African continent urged Governments to take ambitious action against climate change. These were some of the recommendations during a Climate Justice Dialogue: shaping an equitable climate change agreement responsive to Africa ahead of the Third Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA III) which runs between October 21 – 23 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Dialogue, which was also attended by former Heads of State, was organized by Pan African Climate Justice Alliance in partnership with Mary Robinson Foundation – climate Justice and World Resources Institute.

Participants, drawn from 23 African countries from diverse sectors such environment, indigenous peoples, small-holder farmers, women, youth and faith based groups came together to discuss climate justice narratives and to build alliances to propose strategies for African leaders and governments to get a fair deal for Africa at the international climate negotiations.

“IT IS TIME FOR ACTION”, MOGAE CHALLENGES AFRICAN LEADERS

BY FRIDAY PHIRI IN ETHIOPIA

With the impact of climate change affecting negatively, most African countries, former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae has observed with concern the lack of clear and concerted efforts by African leaders to change the picture.

Speaking during a Pre- Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa-CCDA III Climate Justice Dialogue in Addis Ababa today, Mr. Mogae said while African leaders have been involved at various levels of the climate change dialogue, there is little that they are doing to respond to adverse conditions caused by climate change.

Press release

Root justice and equity in climate change dialogues, Governments urged

For immediate release

Addis Ababa 20:10:2013

Governments across the world have been urged to make justice and equity integral components of international dialogue on climate change. At a civil society workshop organized ahead of the third Annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-III) in Addis Ababa, participants called for the broadening of the conversation on climate justice beyond science and environment, and reaffirmed the role of local people’s participation in efforts to address climate change.

https://audioboo.fm/search/boos?q=Mwenda

The Civil Society Meets in Addis Ababa ahead of the CCDAIII

Mithika Mwenda, Mrs Mary Robinson and Hon. Dr Abdalla Hamdok at a workshop in Addis Ababa ahead of the CCDAIII Conference
Photo by Isaiah Esipisu

The leaders are calling for change of the climate change narrative so that it is focuses on human rights, women and the entire society instead of revolving it around abstract scientific issues.

They want the world to speak with a common voice to avert the challenge of climate change.

BIO GAS: Reaping the Double Dividends

Aaron kaah  yancho

K24 NEWS PAPER

Bamenda /Cameroon.

Grass field of Cameroon:  For decades making good use of the earth’s natural resources for the improvement of their livelihoods was the challenging task faced by farm families in the grass field of Cameroon. The rapid population growth in rural communities saw an encroachment into forest land for the cultivation of food crops.

Unknowingly what the consequences will bring the disappearance of the forest attracted  desertification and soil erosion. “It was just a matter of time as these peasant farmers started experiencing droughts” 

As insects disappear, so do Kenya's traditional forecasts

By Caleb Kemboi

UASIN GISHU, Kenya (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – For decades, indigenous farmers living in Kenya’s Rift Valley have predicted the weather by observing the behaviour of insects.

Such traditional knowledge guided their decisions about when to prepare land for planting, as well as what kinds of crops to sow.


“When safari ants cross the road carrying all types of food in one line to (their) hole, this foretells the rainy season ... and we start tilling our land ready for planting,” said Philip Barno, an elder of the Kalenjin community. “During dry spells ants (come) into houses searching for food and humidity.”

Press Statement:-

Save the planet and the African people, African Civil Society urges African Governments

For Immediate Release

Gaborone 15-10-2013: 

African civil society has urged governments to increase pressure on rich countries to honour their pledges in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and providing adequate finance to save planet and humanity. A communiqué  by 80 civil society representatives from 35 African countries, meeting in Botswana’s capital Gaborone, commended African leaders for their continued unity in approaching international climate change and related processes, but decried the neglect of the sector  in national planning. 

Media Alert:-

AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE TO THE FIFTH AMCEN SPECIAL SESSION, GABORONE, BOTSWANA – OCTOBER 2013

We, the representatives of African Civil Society Organizations and Networks under the auspices of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance met in Gaborone, Botswana, on October 12-14, 2013 for the Pre-AMCEN African Civil Society Consultative Workshop, ahead of the 5^th Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). The Workshop also served as the UNEP Regional Consultative Meeting with Major Groups and Stakeholders in the Africa Region (MGSF) in preparation for the Global Ministerial Environment Forum and 15^thSession of the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum scheduled to take place in 2014.

Climate Change: Hard Choices Poor People Must Make.

Aaron kaah Yancho

Kaaron1976@gmail.com.

K24newspaper/bamenda/Cameroon.

           While people in many parts of the world are thinking ahead how to adapt to the climate changes, it’s impact are already  overwhelmingly being felt in  Africa.  The situation at the Lake Chad River Basin and the Far North Regions of Cameroon present a classic challenge posed by climate changes as more than 42 million people had lost their livelihoods over the last twenty years. Rainfall had unbelievably dropped between 29 percent and 49 percent between 1968 and 1997, according to the International Panel on Climate     change. The resulting effects was the drastic decline in food crop production.          

Ghanaian researchers develop strategies to conserve forest resources

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

 A five-point strategy has been developed to support local communities in Ghana to conserve forests, mitigate climate change and sustain livelihoods.

The strategies include fire prevention and control, establishment of plantations, agro-forestry, education and awareness creation, and provision of sustainable livelihood support systems.