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NOT FOR SALE
{ www.sustainzim.org @sustainzim } QUARTER 01 ISSUE 01 / 16
What do tertiary students know about
climate change?
F E AT U R E
A survey investi gati ng the percepti ons about climate change among terti ary students in Zimbabwe
{ www.sustainzim.org @sustainzim }
The Clean energy Project05ENERGY
Muunganirwa fish project11PROFILE
Introduces Zim’s own climate saviour13CARTOON
Changing Mindset in the face of changing climate 09
CLIMATE CHANGE
Think Live Stay Green!
SustainZim is a tabloid newspaper promoting a green culture within Zim-babwean 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 sustain-able development. It will showcase green initiatives already being done by government, civil society groups,
companies and individuals.
PARTNERINGWe are available to work as implementing partners for projects in Zimbabwe. Get in touch if you would like to
partner with [email protected]
PUBLISHERSPOVOAfrika Trust (MA0001023/2015)
ZIM - Harare +263 774 168 975 / 773 456 797, 1 Verona Gardens, 70 Livingstone Ave
RSA - Johannesburg+27 11 7603511 / +27 726005283
210 Klein Drakenstein, 31 Snipe Street, Horizon, 1724, Roodepoort
ADVERTISINGA 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 9770Email: [email protected]
Limited Space Available!
KEY PERSONNELEDITOR 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.
S U R V E Y R E P O R T
What do tertiary students know about climate change?
A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe conducted by POVOAfrika Trust in partnership with HIVOS.
Raymond MuwaniriPOVOAfrika Trust
BackgroundPOVO 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, includ-ing 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.
Objectives for this survey were to;i) find out how much tertiary students know about climate change and how it is affecting Zimbabweans.
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 Zim-babwe. Initially POVO Afrika approached the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Educa-tion to seek permission to conduct the sur-vey. Special mention goes out to Mrs Chira-
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 coordina-tor and two assistants. The projects coordina-tor 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.
08 Have you experienced Climate Change in your Area?
85%
15%
09 Do you think that climate Change is more of a western problem than African?
68%31%
1%
10 Would you prefer to drive to and from your institution than take public transport?
75%
23% 2%
11 There is no point in me doing anything about Climate Change because no one else is?
11%
88%
1%
Climate Change Survey Responses [By Question]
01 Do you care about the environment?
02 Have you ever thrown litter outside a moving vehicle?
03 At work, school or home, do you recycle your waste?
06 Are you familiar withthe term Sustainable Development?
07 Were you taught about Climate Change in school?
05 Should farmers continue touse fertilizers for bumper harvest, at the cost of the environment?
04 Tobacco is improving the livelihood of small-scale rural farmers, should they continue to grow it at the cost of the environment?
Yes
No
DNA98%
2%40% 60% 47% 53%
21%1%1%
60% 40% 52% 46%79% 89%
11%
Survey conducted in the following cities and institutions
Survey conducted in the following cities and institutions
BULAWAYO
GWERU
Lupane State University (LSU), National University of Science & Technology (NUST)
MASVINGO
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU)
MUTARE
Mutare Polytechnic College, Mary Mount Teachers College
HARARE
Harare Polytechnic College, Belvedere Teachers CollegeMidlands State
University (MSU)
Faculties interviewed Social Sciences Education Commercials Others
Survey Statistics 13 Questions8 Institutions 1000 Questionnaires filledParticipants - Males 42% Females 57 %, Did not Answer (DNA) 1%
42%
17%31%
10%
Analysis
of the students said they cared about the environment. But98%
60% Admit to throwing litter.
52% Believe tobacco farming can continue at cost of the environment.
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.
1 Do you care about the environment?
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.
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 to-bacco 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 atmo-sphere, fueling the problem.
NOT FOR SALE
{ www.sustainzim.org @sustainzim } QUARTER 01 ISSUE 01 / 16
What do tertiary students know about
climate change?
F E AT U R E
A survey investi gati ng the percepti ons about climate change among terti ary students in Zimbabwe
{ www.sustainzim.org @sustainzim }
The Clean energy Project05ENERGY
Muunganirwa fish project11PROFILE
Introduces Zim’s own climate saviour13CARTOON
Changing Mindset in the face of changing climate 09
CLIMATE CHANGE
Think Live Stay Green!
Q1 I s s u e 0 1 / 1 6 2 SUSTAINZIM - Think Live STay Green!
S U R V E Y R E P O R T
Age Responses: Do you think Climate Change is more of a Western problem than African?
9
While 29.7% of participant did not answer this part of the question, the mosts changes in cli-mate experienced by participants have been the change in the rainfall pattern followed by the increase in temperatures and then change in seasons.
Western countries are largely blamed for cli-mate change due to their high carbon emis-sions from industrialization. These statistics are a good sign that Africans are not shying away from the problem and accepting that cli-mate change is an international problem.
(i)(ii) Give 2 examples of change of climate in your areas8
06 12 18 24 30
DNA 29.7%Others 4.3%
Temperature Changes 2.5%Low Temperatures 3.5%
Droughts 5.1%Seasons 9.2%
High Temperatures 16.8%Rainfall Pattern 25.8%
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.
4 Faculty Responses: Tobacco is improving the livelihood of rural farmers, should they continue to grow it at the cost of the environment?
Education47% Social Sciences58%Commercials58%
Education75% Social Sciences85% Commercials68%
5 Faculty Responses: Should farmers continue to use fertilizers at the cost of the environment
Education48% Social Sciences41%Commercials46%
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.
All age groups seem to be knowledgeable on the subject. These are promising statistics because education on Climate Change should start in schools..
For a definition of Sustainable Development got to Page 8
7 Age Responses: Were you taught about Climate Change in school?
6 Faculty Responses: Are you familiar with the term Sustainable Development?
% P
erce
nt
18 - 24 years 25 - 35 years0
20
40
60
80
100
Yes No
36 - 46 years
91% 87% 81%
9% 13%19%
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.
Response according to place of origin (YES %)
Small Towns & Rural Districts 88%
Harare 84%
Bulawayo 78%
Mutare 89%
Gweru 84%
Masvingo 84%
50 65 75 90
8 Age Responses: Have you experienced any change of climate in your area?
More students between the ages of 36-45 have experienced climate change, this is because they have lived longer and experienced more seasons.
% P
erce
nt
Yes No
18 - 24 years 25 - 35 years0
20
40
60
80
100
36 - 46 years
81% 88% 95%19% 12%
5%
Would you prefer to drive to and from your institute than public transport?10
The use of carbon emitting vehicles contrib-utes 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 main-land European countries (Netherlands, Bel-gium) 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 cy-cle 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 Zim-babwe wanting to become professionals and independent in their own right.
Gender Responses
MALEFEMALE
79% 71%
21% 29%
Yes NoAge Responses
18 - 24 years 25 - 35 years 36 - 46 years60
64
68
72
76
80
79% 70% 70%
% P
erce
nt
What do tertiary students know about climate change?
MARK WITH AN ‘X’ WHERE APPLICABLE
POVOAfrika Trust +263 77 727 8345 | [email protected] | 1 Verona Gardens, 70 Livingstone Ave, Btwn 6th and 7th Street | www.povoafrika.org
A survey investigating the perceptions about climate change among tertiary students in Zimbabwe. POVOAfrika Trust in partnership with HIVOS.
Faculty Institute
Town/City of Origin
Married Single Divorced WidowedMarital Status
18-24 25-35 36-45AgeM FGender
Q1 - Do you care about the environment?
YES NO
Q7 - Were you taught about Climate Change in school?
YES NO
Q2 - Have you ever thrown litter outside a moving vehicle before?
YES NO
Q6 - Are you familiar with the term Sustainable Development?
YES NO
Q3 - At work, school or home, do you recycle any of your waste?
YES 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?
YES NO
Q5 - Should farmers continue to use fertilizers for bumper harvests, at the cost of the environment?
YES NO
Q8 - Have you experienced any change in the climate in your area?
YES NO
Q9 - Do you think Climate Change is more of a Western problem than African?
YES NO
Give two examples1.2.
Q10 - Would you prefer to drive to and from your institution than take public transport?
YES NO
Q12 - Do you think our indigenous knowledge has any relevance in today's Zimbabwe?
YES NO
Q13 - After your studies, if you are o�ered a job in a rural area would you relocate?
YES NO
Q11 - There is no point in me doing anything about climate change because no-one else is?
YES NO
Foster the arts, culture and sustainability for social development
POVOAFRIKA
Above: A sample of the form that was used for the survey
There is no point in me doing anything about climate change because no one else is11
Yes No
Faculty Responses
Gender Responses
Social Science students felt strongest on this question, but most of the participants recog-nize climate change as everyone’s problem. Given the right education and distribution of information on mitigation and adoption strat-egies, everyone should corporate.
Education84%
Social Sciences93%Commercials87%
88%
12%
FEMALE
85%
15%
MALE
Yes No
31%
68%
1%
Q1 I s s u e 0 1 / 1 6 3SUSTAINZIM - Think Live STay Green!
More students from Masvingo believe indige-nous 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 dis-tricts 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.
S U R V E Y R E P O R T
Do you think indigenous knowledge has any relevance in today’s Zimbabwe?12
After your studies, would you relocate if offered a job in a rural area?13
Faculty Responses
POVO Afrika is involved in the art and cul-ture 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 mi-grate to urban areas for better opportu-nities. 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 gen-eration gap of knowledge and with the changing times our indigenous knowledge is being lost.“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
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;
Education89%
Social Sciences86%Commercials74%
Q5. Should farmers continue using fertilizers at cost of environment?
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
Q12. Does indigenous knowledge have any relevance in today’s Zimbabwe?
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%
Students from
Indigenous Knowledge
Analysis
Responses According to Place of Origin (YES %)
Faculty Responses Age Responses:
Education60%
Social Sciences65%Commercials54%
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.
59% 18 -24 years25 - 35 years36 - 46 years
knowledge was still relevant to them. From the results POVO Afrika intends to pursue proj-ects that emphasize the importance of rural areas, the preservation and documentation of Zimbabwe’s tradition and culture including its indigenous knowledge.
More students between the ages of 36-46 believe indigenous knowledge is still relevant, this is because more people in this age group grew up in rural areas using indigenous knowledge. HOWEVER, ev-eryone 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 indige-nous knowledge is outdated and cannot be practiced anymore, so it is import-ant that it is documented and stored for future reference.
Q3. Do you recycle your waste?
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%
Students from
Responses According to Place of Origin (YES %)
Age Responses:
18 - 24 years 25 - 35 years 36 - 46 years80
85
90
95
85% 87%93%
% P
erce
nt
POVOAfrika Trust experienced no com-plications during the process, all the in-
stitutions and their participants were very wel-coming 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 prog-ress, 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 par-ticipation in our survey, students were given cop-ies 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 cli-mate change as it is part of their curriculum. Other students with knowledge of current af-fairs 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 an-swering 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.
ConclusionIt is important that students who are the future of the country have full knowledge on Climate change and Sustainable Devel-opment, especially the teachers in training who will be educating the future genera-tion 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 mak-ing 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 grandchil-dren 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.
Marymount Teachers College in Mutare
Getting the work done
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.
Q1 I s s u e 0 1 / 1 6 4 SUSTAINZIM - Think Live STay Green!
There is a realized general environ-mental degradation that is em-
anating from the ever growing population which puts demands and pressures on re-sources in Zimbabwe. Th e energy sector is most severely affected area. The situation of lacking energy access and increasing en-ergy demand is escalated by constant power cuts, increased population demanding fi re 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. Th ere 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 ca-pacity in order to facilitate youth to avail of this opportunity.
After realizing the knowledge gap on envi-ronmental issues in the current education curricula, UNICEF Zimbabwe in partner-ship with the Mukuvisi Woodlands devised the Eco Schools environmental education programme to address this gap while en-couraging schools to form environmental clubs to take environmental and climate change issues practically. Th rough the pro-gramme, schools initiate practical hands-on projects that solve identifi ed environmental problems within the school community.
Th e Clean Energy project adopted a collab-orative approach between environment or-ganizations, development partners, govern-ment and public institutions such as schools, colleges and universities, in enhancing ef-forts to prevent continued degradation es-pecially forest resources in particular wood which is in high demand for domestic ener-gy consumption, tobacco curing and brick making. Women, especially girls in and out of school bear the largest burden of sourc-ing energy resources as they are responsible for cooking.
Th e 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 outtwo 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.
Th e programme focused on ninety schools in the three selected provinces in which from each school two teachers and three chil-dren environment club leaders. Th is proj-ect targeted to directly engage around 450 teachers and environmental club leaders but the response was very high with more than
600 benefi ciaries 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 prov-inces. Th e programme was implemented in Ha-rare, Matabeleland North and South Provinces.
Th e project was well received in the provinces selected. During the monitoring visit conducted, there were eff orts at both individual and institu-tional/school level to implement what has been learnt during the project. Most common initia-tives adopted and implemented were the tsot-so stove, biogas and temp bag with none of the participants pursued solar cookers or mini grids. Th e Tsotso stove, Biogas and temperature bags were demonstrated during the trainings and this led to the highest level of update both by individ-uals and institutions/schools. In fort Rixon area one student at the secondary school has devel-oped a mini tsotso stove that he has tested and it can boil water in thirteen minutes. At Th omas Meikles Pagama School we found the most in-teresting uptake of project where the school has
built two plate mud stoves with the involvement of the whole school including the School Head-master taking part in the construction.
Th e project has produced a manual for second-ary schools environmental clubs which has in-formation on environmental awareness, conser-vation of resources, Climate change education and clean energy.
Th e clean energy project is replicable and needs to be up scaled and replicated to other provinc-es. Schools now have clubs in Matabeleland region as a result of this project. Th e 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 oth-ers who are not directly involved are seeing value in the project. Th e programme became popu-lar and continue to be requested as is the case with Bindura University of Science Education
Environmental Science department which is also asking for a pilot extension of the pro-gramme into Mashonaland Central prov-ince 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.
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 mit-igation and adaptation. Th e project dubbed ‘Th e 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 con-sumptions in response to the global prob-lem of climate change. Th is project aimed at helping the children to think around de-veloping innovative energy solutions in the wake of increased power cuts in the country following the drying up of the country’s larg-est dam and hydro power generation plant at the Kariba dam. Th ere are co-benefi ts 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.
Th is is s a project by UNICEF Zimbabwe and Mukuvisi WoodlandsUNICEF 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.
The clean energ y project
Children touring a Domestic Biogas Plant at Ndiweni Homestead in Fort Rixon
Children participating in the training
IMA
GE
S B
Y A
MY
WIC
KH
AM
201
5
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.
List of innovations and projects started at schools as a result of this project:
E N E R G Y
By Jeremiah MushoshoUNICEF
Q1 I S S U E 0 1 / 1 6 5SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!
Energy from
the sunGreenhouse gases
Burning fossil fuels pollutes our atmosphere,
global warming and changing our climate.
Greenhouse gases• water vapour• carbon dioxide• methane
Heat moved around the Earth by the atmosphere and the oceans
Heat radiated from the Earth
Heat radiated
back to Earth by
greenhouse gases
Heat lost
to space
Figure 10: The ppm °C
Atm
osph
eric
con
cent
ratio
n of
CO
₂ Temperature change
Figure 14: World atmospheric concentration of CO₂ (in parts per million) and
average temperature change in degrees Celsius
Source: International Energy Agency 2013
What can we do about it?Every nation on earth (whether developing or de-veloped) must work together to decrease the con-centration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Th is should prevent the most devastating im-pacts 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 aff ect us for decades. We must therefore develop strategies now to adapt to climate change.
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 in-creasing biodiversity. Th is will not only help us to survive the worst eff ects of climate change it will also reduce future impacts.
Is climate change a threat or an opportunity?Th ere is no doubt that climate change will im-pact on the lives of every person on this plan-et 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 deplet-ing the very resources on which life depends, climate change could reverse many of the de-velopment gains made by African countries during recent decades and could hamper future development eff orts.
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. Th e world is already suff ering from many problems including environmental degradation, water shortages, poverty, hunger and massive inequal-ity. Th e 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.
So what do Zimbabweans think about cli-mate change? Last year Research and Ad-
vocacy Group (RAU) conducted a rapid study to try to fi nd out. Th e results showed that while many have heard of climate change few under-stand exactly what it means or what causes it. Even less could say how climate change was going to aff ect Zimbabwe in the future or what they could do about it.
RAU consulted the experts and developed a book to give Zimbabweans some information to help them plan for the future. Th is 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 diff erent levels of society. Th e following is adapted from the book.
What is climate change?Climate change is caused by the exaggeration of a natural process termed the greenhouse eff ect. A greenhouse is a building which keeps plants warm in cold countries so that they can keep growing in winter. Th e gases in the Earth’s at-mosphere act like a greenhouse, forming a layer to keep the planet warm. Without the natural greenhouse eff ect, the Earth would be too cold for life. However, human activities have caused excessive greenhouse gases (such as carbon diox-ide and methane) to build up in the atmosphere, causing the planet to heat up too much, an eff ect 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 aff ects ocean and wind currents, leading to changes in seasons and weather patterns and increases in storms, fl oods, fi res and droughts.
What causes it?Human activities, particularly energy production, industry, transport, large scale commercial agricul-ture and forest clearing cause the release of excess greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As coun-tries have developed and economies and popula-tions 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. Th e graph does not prove that greenhouse gas emissions cause cli-mate change, but there is a very strong correla-tion between the two sets of data. Most scientists use this as a foundation for their evidence that climate change is caused by human activities.
It is a cruel irony that the poorest developing coun-tries in the tropics and sub tropics, which have contributed least to greenhouse gas emissions and have least fi nancial capacity to adapt, will bear the brunt of the eff ects of climate change.
How will it affect us?Across the Earth atmospheric and ocean, temperatures are already rising due to climate change. This is causing widespread melting
of snow and ice; rising sea levels and changed weather patterns across the planet. Extreme events including storms, droughts and fl oods are more frequent, intense and numerous and will become increasingly so. Last year was the hottest year on record and it already seems likely that this year will overtake it.
By the middle of this century, everyone on the planet will be aff ected but people in developing countries will be hardest-hit.
Effects on ZimbabweClimate change has already caused temperatures to rise, rainfall to decrease and the occurrence of storms, droughts and fl oods to increase across Zimbabwe. Scientists believe that average tem-peratures in Zimbabwe will rise by about 3°C before the end of this century. Th is is higher than the global average.
Annual rainfall could decline by between 5_18% especially in the south of the country. Rainfall will become more variable and the
amount of water available in rivers, dams and underground will decline. Th ere will be an in-crease in droughts, fl oods and storms.
These changes are likely to lead to Reduced water supply for domestic,
agriculture and industry
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
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 fl ooding.
Climate ch ange and Zimbabwe, impacts and action
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.
By Anna BrazierConsultant
C L I M AT E
READ / DOWNLOAD EBook http://www.kas.de/simbabwe/en/publications/44451/
Fig1. World atmospheric concentration of CO2 (in parts per million) and average temperature change in degrees celcius
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controlled to a large degree. Much deforestation is caused by casu-al logging activities within the com-munities, much of which is used as f irewood for cooking and heating purposes and clearing more land for subsistence agriculture.
The Kariba REDD+ Project is a forest con-servation project aimed at providing sus-tainable livelihood opportunities for poor communities in Northern Zimbabwe, a region now suffering heavily from defor-estation, poverty, and drought. The Kariba REDD+ Project involves the preservation of a vast and vital ecosystem surround-ing the southern shorelines of Lake Kariba and its surrounding forests and commu-nities. 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 de-forestation and forest degradation. The upliftment of livelihoods comes from the sales of carbon offsets generated as a re-sult of reduced deforestation.
The Kariba REDD+ Project has been run-ning for the past 4 years and has been successfully implementing community projects such as Conservation agricul-ture, Nutritional gardening and Beekeep-ing. Communities have also benefited from borehole resuscitation, education-al material and basic medical supplies all of which would otherwise not have been possible without the revenue generated by the project.
Man-made global warming threat-ens the basis of life, foremost it is
threatening the poorest countries, and in-creasingly 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 mech-anism 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
The Kariba REDD+ ProjectBy Charles NdondoKariba REDD+ Project
Since time immemorial, trees and forests have been credited with reversing the im-
pact of land degradation, provision of food, en-ergy and income as well as enabling communities to achieve long-term economic and environmen-tal sustainability. This is besides giving other en-vironmental benefits like filtering the air to help stave off the effects of climate change.
These have also traditionally provided habitats from which people hunt animals and insects and gather plants and innumerable organic mate-rials. Forest plants are used as building mate-rials, medicine, food, oils, perfumes, pigments, dyes, gums and resins. Insects are gathered as protein sources and are used for natural pest con-trol. Animals are hunted for their meat, hides, feathers, furs and for ceremonial purposes. Access to forest resources permits the develop-ment of methods to allow for income generation, which decreases dependency on state-supported assistance programmes.
Basically, forests are an indispensable compo-nent in the fight against hunger, as their pres-ence has a directive effect on the general weath-er 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 re-place the trees through numerous tree planting programmes every year.
Tree planting is important because of the ben-efits that we get from the trees. The national tree planting day is the Forestry Commission’s flagship event for the programme. Through its programmes, Forestry Commission contrib-utes to national socio-economic development through regulation and capacity enhancement in the utilization and management of the country’s forest resources.
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 plant-ing campaigns are scheduled to coincide with the rainy season, which provides good weather con-ditions for extensive tree planting because of the natural moisture that will be available and over the years, tree planting occasions have become part of every community’s calendar with differ-ent groups of people participating in local events.
Knowledge on how our forests and forest re-sources can provide livelihoods is what the For-estry Commission intends to impart to commu-nities 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 ba-sic ingredient for honey making therefore for-est 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 prov-ince, beekeeping has contributed immensely to the socio - economic development of the small holder farmers by contributing directly to house-hold income. As a conservation strategy farm-ers 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. Bee-keeping 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.
The most direct way in which Forests and trees contribute to food security is through contri-butions 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 mo-pane worm (Imbrassia belina) is probably the most important insect in Southern Africa from a cultural point of view.
The rural farmers rely on natural outbreaks of Amacimbi. However, these do not occur every year and may be absent from some areas for many years. It is during these years that Amacimbi farming become the most benefit to the local people. This is a household scale semi-domes-tication farming system being implemented with the prospect of making Amacimbi harvests more reliable, both as a subsistence crop and as a source of income. Some research was done by the Forestry Commission together with other organisations like the University of Zimbabwe
and SAFIRE on this project. Building upon the research results a number of Amacimbi farming projects were established in Matobo and Gwan-da and Bulilima districts.
The main role of the Forestry Commission in the Amacimbi project is to ensure that there is en-hanced 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 con-tend with challenges of major deforestation to feed the tobacco growing sector but now they have turned this challenge into an opportuni-ty 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 Manhen-ga. 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
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 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 dis-trict, farmers are raising a lot of gum seedlings, selling them to companies such as Sustainable Afforestation Association (SAA). The commu-nity projects in Shamva – Chiororo Village have been very successful since they have money to pay school fees and buy food. SAA is also em-ploying locals where they are establishing plan-tations such as in Bindura, Mazowe and Mt Dar-win districts thus creating employment from the TWEP programme.
The reality was, and is, that non-timber forest products contribute enormously to the liveli-hoods 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-ad-jacent communities. The purpose of the new ap-proaches 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 for-est products. These products are consumed di-rectly 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.
By Makoto VioletForestry Commission
Forests for food security and nutrition
deforestation and forest degradation, ac-counts for 12-29% of global greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the inclusion of re-ducing emissions from land use change is con-sidered essential to achieve the objectives of the UNFCCC. Due to poor resources and knowl-edge, 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 decreas-ing biomass density and deforestation. Forest fires are a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented entirely however they can be
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The 2016 Traditional and Organic Food and Seed Festival roars to life!
Some of it was deep traditional stuff such as rupi-za, hanga stew, mufushwa ne dovi and mupunga but there were also new foods using tradition-al ingredients such as baobab ice cream, tsenza puffs, madhumbe chips and marula nut biscotti! I also tried lots of unusual drinks but my favourite was the rosella iced tea. It was so refreshing.
Aunty you have always said that we need to link farmers and consumers more in the struggle for healthier, fairer and more environmental-ly-friendly food systems in Zimbabwe. Well it seems that is what the food festival has now be-come. This year they decided to involve more farmers by having traditional seeds on display and for sale. It gave people a chance to buy a wide range of traditional seed varieties, some of which I have not seen for years.
Farmers came from all over the country with their seeds, from Binga, Bulilima, Chimanima-ni…it was amazing to see so many different types of cow peas, nyimo beans, sorghum, millet, ma-pudzi and melon seeds on display of all differ-ent sizes, shapes and colours. I thought some of them had died out long ago but it seems that the diversity is being kept alive in remote commu-nities across the country and I realised how we need to support these farmers to save and share their seed especially if we get more years like this one when the rains are so erratic. These tough local varieties are so much more drought and
disease resistant and many of them are more nu-tritious than the usual varieties which we see in the shops. Also they seem to require few inputs so we can grow them organically.
Apparently the festival organisers invited par-ticipating farmers to a big meeting the day be-fore the festival called a Dialogue Day. The idea was for them to meet each other and to talk to some consumers about how to promote more traditional food products. The farmers were still talking about it the next day and they said for them it was as exciting as the festival itself – like a sort of conference.
I have now joined the Zimbabwe Traditional and Organic Food Forum which organis-es the festival. It is a group of individuals and
organisations which meet about four times a year. At the last meeting we discussed how this local traditional food movement is growing rap-idly 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 nu-tritious diet and lifestyle promoting tradition-al 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.
Overall then, we are happy with the way the fes-tival is developing. But of course there are some challenges too. Stalls and packaging have im-proved 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.
It is also hard to know how much impact the fes-tival is actually having. We operate on a shoe-string 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.
We agreed that we want next year’s festival to be ‘bigger and better’ and there were many different suggestions on how we can do that. One idea, which I’m sure we’ll pursue, is to have more ac-tivities earlier in the week, in the lead up to the festival. That way the festival, the celebration, could become the culmination. We’d also like to extend the day of the festival by starting earlier and/or finishing later. Healthy eating and exer-cise go hand in hand (an early morning dance/exercise class followed by breakfast?) and being a festival with good music lends itself to going into the evening.
So let me know what you think of these ideas. You were the one who inspired me to get involved in the first place and now I am hooked! I hope this letter will tempt you to come and join us at this year’s 4th Traditional and Organic Food and Seed Festival!
Dear Aunty Simukai
I’ve been meaning to write to you for a few months now to tell you about something re-
ally 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, tradition-al 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 tradi-tional. You can now buy all kinds of traditional and organic products in supermarkets and many are now packaged with brand names! Some com-panies are even taking traditional foods and us-ing them in modern ways. You can buy herbal teas, baobab jam, roasted marula nuts and even mongongo nuts!
…it was amazing to see so many different types of cow peas, nyimo beans, sorghum, millet, mapudzi
and melon seeds on display...
F O O D
And the food festival itself has become a hot top-ic and a true celebration of the goodness of our healthy food culture! Last year’s event was huge and I was helping out as a volunteer. More than 1 000 people came and there were people from all over - posh people from the Northern suburbs, foreigners and since there were even free buses from town to the botanical gardens it was easy for me and my friends to get there.
There were dozens of stalls selling all kinds of fresh, preserved and processed products. There were stalls selling pure honey, oyster mush-rooms, quails eggs, roadrunner chickens and dried fish. There was excellent live music, danc-ing and fun activities for kids. I hardly saw our kids the whole day because they were doing face paints, colouring and having water fights in the kids’ zone… and the lunches at the pop-up restaurants! Aunty, at first I did not know what to choose because there was so much on offer.
By Caroline JacquetBio Innovation Zimbabwe
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PHOTO SOURCE: CAROlINE JACquET
Cell: 0773 842 677 Email:[email protected] Twitter: @mushtella Facebook: Mushtella Specialty Mushrooms www.mushtella.com
Cell:
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Climate change impact to the
horticulture and rural producers
Israel T. MabhooAlternative Business Alliance
Indeed, a lot of valuable information has been churned on Climate-change.
But the aggregate difference is the ap-plication of such information to the most relevant sector of food production, which, are the rural producers.
The negligence by the relevant author-ities 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 aca-demics of this field alone, but the man-ner in which this knowledge has been unpacked is meant for every human be-ing 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 un-der the Producers Cluster with the scope of enhancing alternative lucrative mar-kets, [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;
C L I M AT E
Collective global action on climate change must therefore no longer be an agen-
da item for discussion, but a priority. Th ere is undoubtedly therefore a dire need to bring to bare all necessary resources and eff orts to fi ght climate change by means of both mitigation and adaptation.
In the face of this increasing environmental crisis and in addition to the already existing so-cial and economic hardships in the global envi-ronment, youth and children are amongst the worst aff ected. Th at notwithstanding, there is an increasing appreciation of the little taped en-ergy 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. Th e youth and child focused initiative seeks to support social innovations addressing climate
Support under the project is rendered to school going children through institution based envi-ronmental clubs, or any such other clubs within schools. Th e support is provided in the form of small start-up grants to kick-start small proj-ects at the school level. Th is component of the project within schools however is driven more by the need for training and demonstration versus an over-fi xation on actual commercially viable activities.
Th e GiHUB believes in the potential and capac-ity 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 peo-ple resident in their communities understand their lived realities better than anyone else ex-ternal to their environment, and are thus bet-ter capable of coming up with solutions to their own challenges.
Th e GiHUB launched its fi rst Innovation Chal-lenge Competition on the 27th of November 2015, with the primary objective of providing project fi nancing, incubation and mentorship to young innovators who believe they have novel ideas to address energy challenges in their com-munities. Th is fi rst pilot innovation call put on off er 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-fi ve.
Th e challenge sought innovations from broad-ly 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 Innova-tion Challenge and to encourage young people to apply. Th e 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 proj-ect and how to enter the competition.
Changing mindsets in the face of a changing 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. Th e project titled Green Innovations Hub (GiHUB) has the overall objective of igniting social change and unlocking young people’s potential in con-tributing 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 strength-ening processes to enable better and more ef-fective 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.
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.
By Joy MlamboDevelopment Reality Institute
Th is process will be followed by selection, short-listing and adjudication of the most innovative ideas, which will be further refined at a boot-camp. At the boot camp, innovators will receive free training and mentorship from partners. Once the shortlisted candidates have been ca-pacitated and have had the opportunity to refi ne their ideas, they will pitch their ideas to a panel of experts and the winners of the innovation chal-lenge will receive grants in any one of the two cat-egories 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 cor-porations engagement and support. DRI and UNICEF anticipate that after a successful com-pletion of the pilot phase (Sept 2015 – April 2016), the project can be scaled up. It is envis-aged that the supported projects will buttress a burgeoning green movement with potential for stimulating a multiplier eff ect 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 tech-nically support progress of funded projects for upscale as well as hold more innovation challeng-es in different areas in the environmental sec-tor. 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-sec-toral experience, background and persuasions. The GiHUB network continues to grow, and intensity its efforts of bringing together vari-ous 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.
www.naturallyzimbabwean.com
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Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resourc-es (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 coun-try of about 13 million people, with a fluid, agro based economy and about 70% of the popula-tion 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 fight-ing to prevent the eventual effects of climate change on their livelihoods. Tucked away in the driest part of Zimbabwe’s Agro- ecological Re-gion 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 commu-nity. This is why SAFIRE has partnered with the Liechtensteinischer Entwicklungs Dienst (LED) in supporting community adaptation initiatives through the project “Adapting to cli-mate 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 re-sources. 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 agri-culture as farmers try to cope with increasing droughts through extensive agriculture. Natu-ral regeneration of the forests is hampered, in some areas, by over-grazing especially by goats
feed. Furthermore, Natural Resources Manage-ment (NRM) committees in both wards have been trained in carbon assessment methods and they are now conversant with the use of clinom-eters, diameter tapes, GPS units and calipers among other tools which are normally used by qualified foresters.
In order to involve young people in the commu-nity 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 Pri-mary 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.
School children are also involved in the project through the seed collection programme where-by 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 ex-citing for the children. The idea to have school children collect seeds, with some of the seeds coming from trees in their homes for the nurs-ery has two main advantages. Firstly the seeds are from trees that are already adapted to the area as most of the seeds are of indigenous seed or exotic trees growing in the region. Secondly, the link between the community nursery and schools awareness activities 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 com-munities to achieve food security, cope and adapt to the adverse effects of disasters like climate change induced droughts.
Adapting to climate change through protecting and enriching natural woodlands and forests in Malipati, Chiredzi
By Thubelihle NyoniSouthern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE)
C L I M AT E
Seedlings in the nursery
Chishinya FC the winners of the 2015 Carbon shieldNRM team taking tree inventories using diameter calipers
NRM team ready for pilot survey of carbon stocks after training
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
which eat the seedlings. The forest areas are also exposed to annual dry season fires which de-stroy 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 conserva-tion 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, sor-ghum and cow peas seed this year. Additionally, communities are benefiting from forest man-agement projects like bee keeping which protect their forest while providing them revenue for livelihood. To develop a revenue base for the fu-ture while also providing nutrition, communities have been further trained in raising fruit trees with a nursery and four orchards set up at 2 Pri-mary 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
SOURCE: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/
Sustainable Development?It has been de�ned as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustain-able and resilient future for people and planet.
For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize these three core elements
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.
What is
These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.
PHOTOS SOURCE: SAFIRE
Q1 I s s u e 0 1 / 1 6 10 SUSTAINZIM - Think Live STay Green!
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_tilapia
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Muunganirwa fi sh project
By Raymond MuwaniriPOVOAfrika Trust
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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.
It lives for up to 9 years.
It is the most commonly cultured cichlid.
Groups of Nile tilapia establish social hierarchies in which the dominant males have priority for both food and mating.
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.
P R O F I L E
Quick Facts
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.
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Project BackgroundMuunganirwa Fish Project was officially launched on the 17th of June 2015 and only include 25 members from Muunganirwa village. In 2012 they approached Aquacul-ture to assisted them in securing funding for fi shery projects. Aquaculture is an non gov-ernmental organization in Zimbabwe that fosters sustainable and responsible develop-ment of fi sheries and aquaculture systems to improve peoples livelihoods and economic development. With assistance from Aqua-culture, 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. Th ey invested in tree planting, 100 mango trees, 50 avocado, 20 peach and 100 banana trees. They also initially bought 1.5tonnes of fi sh feed.
The Ponds Th e fi shery project has 20 ponds, 18 Seep-age and 2 Contour ponds. Seepage ponds are built where water naturally occurs, Contour ponds are dug on dry land with ce-ment at the bottom and soil added on the top. Trees are planted around the ponds to preserves the water as shade reduces evap-oration. Every pond has an inlet and outlet pipe to control the level of water in the pond.
Project BenefitsProjects members have more income from the fi sh sales improving their livelihood. Th ey have a better standard of living because they can make a living from the land. Th ey 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.
Th e list of visitors includes; former US ambassa-dor to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, the now Minis-ter of Environment, Water, Climate and Natural resources, Honorable Opah Muchinguri, Pat-rick Zhuwao among others.
Major Challenges Linking the fi sh and the other farm produce to markets is a big challenge, they do not own any vehicles to get their produce to market (Mbare, Hatcliff e, Bindura) and have to rely on waiting on the road side for public transport (kombi’s) to take produce to market. Th ey have no fridges for storing harvested fi sh and increasing the shelf life, electricity wires are 3km away so there is a need for solar fridges. Otters are a surprise chal-lenge they had not factored.
Otters regularly raid our ponds and devastate the fi sh populations. Th e solution would be to poison suspected otter holes but it is very hard to identify otter holes and there is a risk of poi-soning other harmless species. Another solution would be to fence all the ponds but they cannot aff ord 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 sell-ing land and water is being used inappropriate-ly. Th e horticulture project includes members from other nearby villages, the funding for the fi sh project was only allocated to the Muungan-irwa village members, 25 of them. So this has caused conflict with the other villagers in the
About the Village
Muunganirwa Village is located in Ward 14 Muchapondwa, Bindu-
ra District. Th e village is under Chief Mu-sana and the local Village Head (Sabhuku) is Ishmile Muunganirwa. The village has a population of 463 people in 105 house-holds. Muunganirwa Fish and Horticul-ture Cooperative has 65 members, 27 from Chakona village and 42 members from Muunganirwa, 22 men and 20 women. Th e cooperative has a total area of about 26 hect-ares where they practice fi shery projects and horticulture, growing cucumbers, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, beans among other veg-etables. Th e abundant spring water in the area is used for irrigation of crops and the fi sh project. In 2006 the cooperative entered the Zimbabwe Plough Conservation Com-petition coordinated by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). Th ey became district winners, provincial winners and 5th in the national competitions.
Th e outlet pipe spill excess water into the sur-rounding crop fi elds. Each Pond is 200m2, 1.3m deep and 60 cm at the shallow end. Th e projects members received training on the project from Aquaculture, the Department of Livestock Pro-duction, Agritex, National Parks and Th e Envi-ronmental Management Agency (EMA).
Before adding the fi sh 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 fi sh. To each pond they added, 20kgs of cow manure, 10kgs pig manure and 8kg of chicken manure which is the strongest. The fi ngerlings came from Lake Harvest in Kariba in a plastic bag with oxygen. Th e young fi sh are placed in the pond still in their bag and left for 15 to 20 minutes for the fi sh to adjust to the new water, then the bag is opened. One pond could have as much as 2000 fi sh, it is advised to have 10 fi ngerlings per square meter. To supplement the fi shes diet they add pellets, 2kg of aqua-feed spread out 3 times a day. Th e feed also decides the sex of the fi sh with males preferred because they grow faster. It takes about 5 months for the fi sh to mature, the older the fi sh gets the less it eats. When fi sh 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 fi sh, a tilapia bream called Niloticus. Th ey have 1 pond with another type of bream from the local river, they are experimenting to see if it is a viable op-tion. Th ere is also another pond which is specifi cal-ly 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 fi sh. Th e fi sh 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 fi sh. Each fi sh has the potential to reach 425g but they harvest them at about 200/250g. Th e fi sh must be sold on the same day because they do not have fridges to store the fi sh.
cooperative who feel they should have been included in the fi shery project. Only16 hect-ares 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 FutureMuunganirwa cooperative has big plans for the future. They would like value edi-tion training to increase their knowledge and understanding, e.g. market linkages that can help them market their produce. Th e cooperative hopes to raise more funds to purchase more fences for the entire area. Th ey 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 wa-ter from the river. Th ey also intend to get in-volved in bee keeping and mushroom grow-ing, as well as start the canning and drying of tomatoes for selling. Th ey are asking for any assistance for these plans from government or civil society groups.
ConclusionThe Muunganirwa Cooperative is regis-tered offi cially as an SME. Th e cooperative was rated by a research conducted by the Ministry of Women’s Aff airs and Agritex, to see how organized cooperatives were. Th ey 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 sup-port). Among the benefi ts of having so many high profi le 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 resourc-es in your area is used wisely and sustainably, it can bring income and improve the stan-dard of living. If anyone wants more information about the fish proj-ect or would like to help the cooperative with their future please contact Aquaculture or Mr Muunganirwa on (+263) 0773428243
B I O D I V E R S I T Y
Background The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEFSGP) in Zimbabwe came into existence in 1993 after the 1992 Rio-Earth Sum-mit to provide financial and technical support to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who wish to conserve and restore the environ-ment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods. The GEFSGP supports environ-mental projects under five thematic areas that include biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, reversing land degradation and elimination of chemicals.
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-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 Niño effect has resulted in se-vere 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 of climate change such as erratic rainfall and very high temperatures which have crippled agricul-tural 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 miti-gation and resilience through reforestation and installation of solar powered irrigation for sus-tainable livelihoods. The project is benefiting 30 households constituting of 81 male and 121 female beneficiaries.
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.
The drip irrigation system comprises of 3 x 10 000L plastic water tanks in the community gar-den 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.
Drip irrigation pipes laid out in the gardenBesides the solar technology, the project bene-ficiaries have put up drip irrigation that helps in managing the water more efficiently. To date the project has been able to produce organic horti-cultural products with an average per farmer of 87 bundles of green vegetables, 3x50kg pock-ets 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
Different crops under productionThe project has helped to build resilience by ensuring a reliable supply of water that has en-abled the project to enhance food security. The community is now producing its own healthy or-ganic agricultural products for home consump-tion 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 communi-ty 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 woodlotsThe 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 fur-ther degradation. The trees also help in terms of carbon sequestration. On the whole, proj-ect 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.
Biotechnology trust of Zimbabwe project supported by UNDP-Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme
By Tsitsi WutawunasheBiotechnology Trust Of Zimbabwe
The solar system that has been set up
Project members erecting fence and laying pipes for drip irrigation
Storage tanks installed at the garden
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 2015.2030
REDUCEDINEQUALITIES10 SUSTAINABLE
CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
11 RESPONSIBLECONSUMPTION& PRODUCTION
12 CLIMATEACTION13 LIFE BELOW
WATER14 LIFEON LAND15 PEACE, JUSTICE
AND STRONG INSTITIONS
16 PARTNERSHIPSFOR THE GOALS17
NOPOVERTY1 QUALITY
EDUCATION4 GENDEREQUALITY5 CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATION6 77 AFFORDABLE & CLEAN ENERGY
DECENT WORKAND ECONOMIC GROWTH
8
INDUSTRY, INNOVATION &INFRASTRUCTURE
9
GOOD HEALTH& WELL BEING3ZERO
HUNGER2
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S O L A R
In most parts of Africa, irrigation agricul-ture is performed with the use of fossil fuels
or labour intensive technologies. In Zimbabwe, in Gwanda district,Matabeleland South prov-ince, farmers are using diesel powered combus-tion engines to drive pumps, whilst in Malawi, in Nsanje and Chikwawa districts,the South-ern Region of Malawi farmers are using treadle pumps to irrigate their farms. Th e 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 ir-rigated area is small due to the capacity of trea-dle pump. Th e technologies currently in use in Malawi and Zimbabwe present challenges for the communities.
Practical Action Southern Africa in Partner-ship with SNV Netherlands Development Or-ganisation, Dabane Trust in Zimbabwe Hivos, Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD) and Environment Africa in Malawi, will modernise agriculture irrigation through a four year Sustainable Energy for Rural Commu-nities (SE4RC) project.
The SE4RC project is an exciting initiative that has the potential to greatly improve the so-cio-economic status of the rural communities in the said two countries. Th is will go a long way in redressing the inequalities of rural energy access. Th e SE4RC Project is being funded by the Eu-ropean Union with co-funding from GEF Small Grants Programme and Th e Opec Fund for In-ternational Development (OFID).
With modern technology and new techniques, the SE4RC project is establishing solar pow-ered decentralised mini grids in isolated rural communities in Zimbabwe and Malawi. 200kw of electricity will be generated to support pro-ductive end use, powering schools and clinics and enabling at least 300,000 people to access energy services.
Th e overall objective of this project is to contrib-ute to the attainment of the sustainable energy for all (SE4All) goal that aims to ensure universal access to modern energy services in rural areas
Besides ensuring food security for the small holder irrigation in the two countries, the solar energy will also benefi t other sectors of the com-munities resulting in improved health, education facilities and entrepreneurship development. Fo-cus will also be on productive end use of energy to improve the incomes of the target communities.
Th e project has established a solar powered de-centralised mini grid in Gwanda, in Zimbabwe generating 99Kw.
Harnessing solar power to tackle energy poverty in rural Zimbabwe
and Malawi
Th e communities contributed labour whilst the contractors focused on the technical aspects but also building the capacities of selected commu-nity members to ensure sustainability. Trained community members will be able to manage the power station and undertake regular mainte-nance of the systems. At least 19 small local en-trepreneurs 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 estab-lished in Nsanje at Nyamvuwu and Chimombo and in Chikwawa at Mwalija and Nazoro ex-pected to generate generate120Kw. A total of 20,000 people in Malawi and 10,000 people in Zimbabwe are expected to benefi t from access-ing renewable energy services. As a sustainabil-ity 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. Th e trainings will ensure the schemes are run as businesses for fi -nancial viability by people with leadership skills as well as technical capacity which consequently contribute to the sustainability of the project.
The project will demonstrate a case for pub-lic-private partnerships in delivering energy ac-cess, whilst contributing to an enabling environ-ment for the establishment of off grid systems in Zimbabwe and Malawi through a series of government engagements.Mashaba solar plant in Gwanda
By Martha Munyoro KatsiPractical Action
Grants Programme and Th e Opec Fund for In- centralised mini grid in Gwanda, in Zimbabwe generating 99Kw. Mashaba solar plant in Gwanda
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.
Illustrator: Tafadzwa Tarumbwa Written by: Elton Mjanana & Raymond Muwaniri
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 pow-ers, that include fl ying 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.
Q1 I S S U E 0 1 / 1 6 13SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!
KB MpofuFREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
+263 9 883 696+263 71 660 [email protected]
KB MpofuFREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
+263 9 883 696+263 71 660 [email protected]
Solar brings joy to Gwanda
Gwanda 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 coun-try 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 Gwan-da are now smiling all the way to their gardens, thanks to the Trocaire and Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (JOAC) funded solar powered gar-den projects being implemented by Practical Action in wards 6,7,8,9,13 and 14 in Gwanda.
Janet Moyo (54), a vegetable and maize farmer in Sibula village,Gwanda ward 8 thanked Prac-tical 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 in Gwanda,“The solar powered projects by Tro-caire and JOAC being implemented by Practi-cal Action in different parts of Gwanda trans-formed the lives of most people, the projects enable families to increase food security and income generation”. Tshalibe added,”the proj-ects 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 affect-ed 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 hor-ticulture crops which include rape, tomatoes, maize and onions just to mention a few are now being grown in these gardens.
By Martha Munyoro KatsiPractical Action
“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 com-pletely 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 Resil-ience 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 climate shocks in Gwanda district. The projects have also improved access to water, diversi-fied 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 agricul-tural strategies.
The project has overseen the installation of nine solar gardens (five under Troicaire fund-ing which will benefit 250 small scale farm-ers 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, com-plete with panels, 10,000 litre tanks complete with tank stands and drip kits . A solar-pow-ered 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 add-ed. 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 ag-riculture, renewable energy is the way to go so-lar 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 technolo-gies developed centre around renewable energy, food production, agro-processing, water, sanitation, hygiene promotion, small en-terprise development, building and shelter, climate change adap-tation and disaster risk reduction.
S O L A R
Edwin pouring water on the river sand to keep alcohol beverages cool. Entrepreneurs in the area resort to these tactics in the face of energy challenges.
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in ZimbabweUse #SustainZim and follow us on twitter
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Q1 I S S U E 0 1 / 1 6 14 SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!
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Kariba REDD+ ProjectTel: +2634 774567729Email: [email protected]
Bio Innovation ZimbabweTel: + 263 772 158313Email: [email protected]; [email protected] www.bio-innovation.org; www.naturallyzimbabwean.com
Development Reality Institute Tel: +263 496987 Email: [email protected]
Forestry CommissionEmail: [email protected]/[email protected]: 04-498436-9www.forestry.co.zw
Practical Action Southern AfricaTel:+263 776631-3Email: practicalaction@ practicalaction.org.zwwww.practicalaction.org/southernafrica
Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE)Tel: 263 4 740 384-5/ 740 390Email: [email protected]
UNICEF Zimbabwe Tel:+263 4 703941/2 or 731840Email: [email protected] www.unicef.org/zimbabwe
March21 - International Forest Day22 - World Water Day23 - World Meteorological27 - Earth Hour
April14 - Mashaba Solar Power Plant commissioning 22 - Earth Day2nd week of May - National Fire week
WeeklyMaasdorp Farmers’ Market and Friday Amanzi Food Market
TBA4th Traditional and Organic Food and Seed Festival, Harare Botanical Gardens, Sep (exact dates TBA) 2016
May22 - International Day for Biological Diversity
June5 - World Environment Day 17 - World Desertification Day16 - International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer 1st Saturday of December - National Tree Planting Day
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Q1 I S S U E 0 1 / 1 6 15SUSTAINZIM - THINK LIVE STAY GREEN!
In July 2015, Ruvimbo Moyo launched Emerge, a competition that promotes inno-
vative 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 gen-eral public seeking solutions by creating a data-base of ideas that can be funded both privately and publicly.
Th e 2015 theme ‘Living Tomorrow’ challenged students to apply their design skills on the is-sue of sustainability. Th e students were required to defi ne ‘a building of the future’ and to explore an architectural program that considers environ-mental and agricultural solutions, cultural bar-riers, building technology and that addresses af-fordability. A total of US$1 000 was awarded to the winners, which went towards paying tuition fees. Th e winners were published on the Emerge Competition website as well as in POVO Afri-ka’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. Th e feedback has been encouraging and we have used social media as the main tool for adver-tising. Architecture schools in Zimbabwe have also shown interest in incorporating future competi-tion briefs in their curriculum, making it easier for students to submit a proposal without compromis-ing their academic programs.
Jury’s General CommentsTh e Jury acknowledged the great eff orts made by all participants. It was touching and inspir-ing to see some very strong submissions al-ready 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 se-curing our food, water and energy. Most of the submissions displayed very good rendering and draftsmanship skills. Th e jury advocates for education across Africa and training our future professionals for problem-solving in real con-texts. Th e 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 ar-chitecture 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 imagina-tion. It would be interesting to see this concept adapted in other cities across the country.
Th e 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 con-servation as the driving program. It will be inter-esting to see this design explored further within its context and to keep track of the impact such an in-tervention 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 off ers beautiful interior solutions with a design intent that shows an understanding of the brief. Th e ‘house for tomorrow’ concept could be morphed and adapted to address the diff erent 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’ com-petition as well as the judges; Adam-Lee-Casey, Nicolas-Patience Basabose, Maxwell Mutan-da 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, Tap-pnology and Speabora, for their commitment to making 2015 a successful fi rst year. The Emerge Competition is looking for sponsors. Individuals and organisations are invited to support our efforts in promoting inno-vative concepts and sponsoring tertiary education. Email [email protected] for more information. Visit the competi-tion website www.emergecompetition.com
The Emerge Competition: ‘Living Tomorrow’AWA R D S
By RUVIMBO MOYOEmerge
1st - Michael Hobbs 2nd - Tinotenda Ncube 3rd - Marvin Ncube
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