The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has embarked on a pilot programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions in order to mitigate climate change in Vubwi district in Eastern province.

The programme is being undertaken with the support of US$32.8 million World Bank funded Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Project (ZFILP).

ZEMA Principal Inspector of Climate Change, Lilian Kalenge, said the project employs advanced data collection technologies that will assist the agency with real time information on the reduction or increase of carbon emissions in the atmosphere of a certain area.

“The background to this is that ZEMA, with support from ZFILP, is developing systems to improve collection of information that enables us to do measuring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gasses,” Ms. Kalenge said.

She explained that using smart inspectorate tablet devices which are equipped with questionnaire forms, the agency will be able to collect information from farmers that will help them to tailor mechanisms of intervention.

She said in an effort to support the agenda of the new initiative, the collaborating sectors will seek to involve stakeholders under agriculture, forestry, livestock departments and other land users because of their direct linkage to the predominant activities in Eastern province.

Ms. Kalenge has since welcomed the initiative which in the long run will help in alleviating poverty following increased crop yield as a result of lowered carbon emission that has an effect rainfall.

She explained that Zambia also stands to gain from carbon credits due to the initiative.

Meanwhile, Vubwi Acting District Commissioner Mustard Phiri said the project would also help equip people in the area with the much needed information on preserving natural resources.

“There is an information gap. Our people don’t really know much about the need to preserve their trees. They don’t really understand the devastating effects of climate change,” he said.

And a farmer, Cosmas Zulu, who attended a trial of the data collection exercise, also applauded the project, declaring that it would help increase his crop yields.

“This was insightful especially on climate change and its effects on our yields. For example, the rains have dwindled over the years and it delays because of climate change resulting in a spiraling down of our yields,” Mr. Zulu said.

Besides Vubwi district, the project is expected to be piloted in Lundazi, Mambwe, Petauke and Chipata districts.

In the recent past, Zambia has experienced notable adverse impacts of climate change which has seen an influx in droughts, occasional dry spells, and unbearable temperatures and also change in the rainfall pattern.

Green party President Peter Sinkamba has said that the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) Government should, first of all, reinstate all public service employees who have been fired by President Hakainde Hichilema in the last two months, before a similar gesture can be extended to all those who were fired in a similar manner during the tenure of former ruling parties.

Reacting to a cabinet circular that all former Public Service employees that were retired on political, tribal, or any other unfair grounds and wish to be reinstated in the public service should send their appeals to PMSD for consideration, Mr. Sinkamba said that the move will backfire adding that since taking office, President Hichilema has terminated jobs or retired hundreds of public service employees, including staff in embassies and high commissions.

Below is the full statement

By Peter Sinkamba

UPND GOVERNMENT IS JUST COMPLICATING THINGS FOR ITSELF, BY EVERY MOVE THEY MAKE, THIS ONE INCLUSIVE

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The Secretary to Cabinet has announced that all former Public Service employees that were retired on political, tribal or any other unfair grounds and wish to be reinstated in the public service should send their appeals to PMSD for consideration, will backfire in the face of UPND Government.

Since taking office two months ago, President Bally has terminated jobs or retired hundreds of public service employees. All of them were fired either for political or unfair grounds.

None of them were accorded any hearing. They were fired through TV announcements, and up to now, none have been given reasons why their jobs were terminated.
Clearly, this move by Government is intended to employ UPND members and sympathisers. It is purely a partisan move.

For, if this move were not partisan, the UPND Government should have first of all reinstated all public service employees who have been fired by President Bally in the last two months, and then advise all those who were fired in similar manner during PF, MMD and UNIP to reapply.

Without reinstating those fired under UPND administration, then sadly, it is fair and just to conclude that the whole scheme is nothing but a manipulation and abuse of power by the New Dawn Government for partisan, tribal and regional ends.

By the way, mwebantu, according to Article 266 of the Constitution of Zambia Amendment 2016 “public service ” employee means any person in the “Civil Service, the Teaching Service, Defence Force and National Security Service, the Zambia Correctional Service, the Zambia Police Service, Emoluments Commission, State Audit Commission, Lands Commission, Electoral Commission, Human Rights Commission, Gender Equity and Equality Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, Drug Enforcement Commission, the Anti-Financial and Economic Crimes Commission, the Police and Public Complaints Commission, and service as a constitutional office holder, service in other offices, as prescribed”.

This includes staff in embassies and high commissions.

The Zambian government says it is committed to biodiversity conservation, proper land management and fighting climate change to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of its people.

Collins Nzovu, Minister of Green Economy and Environment said the government was aware that the conservation of biodiversity that constitutes natural capital was critical to ensuring that Zambia achieves its aspirations of a green economy and attainment of socio-economic development for all.

“I wish to share with you my government’s determination to ensure that the green economy, which entails low carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive approach drives the economic transformation and recovery that we so desperately need,” he said during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, according to a release.

Zambia, he said, was endowed with abundant fauna and flora hence the need to take biodiversity conservation seriously, adding that the creation of a dedicated ministry was meant to synergize efforts to cope with forests loss, climate change, biosafety and environmental protection.

According to him, the bringing together of interrelated and critical functions under one ministry would promote a development path that considers natural capital as a critical economic asset and a source of benefit especially for the poor.

The re-alignment of portfolio functions would enhance green investments that would spur renewable energy and resource efficiency, he added.

“However, we are constrained to achieve most of these targets in time due to inadequate financial resources, making it difficult for us to make our fair share contribution to global efforts in addressing these multiple challenges,” he said.

Zambia, he said, was currently engaged with the global community in formulating a new post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The government has scaled up its nutrition program in the Lusaka district aimed at reducing stunting and malnutrition levels through the implementation of the 1,000 Most Critical days program under the coordination of the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC).

Lusaka Acting District Commissioner Maureen Chilende says she is positive that the program will uplift health standards among children in Lusaka.

She said this is because of the efforts the Commission is making to promote various interventions such as exclusive breastfeeding coupled with supplementary feeding and proper nutrition of expectant and lactating mothers among others.

Mrs Chilende explained that the multi-sectorial programme involves working with different line ministries promoting various interventions such as ‘WASH’ aimed at improving nutrition and ending stunting in Zambia.

“We are optimistic that the community in Lima ward of George compound will receive the programme very well following the interventions the health facility is teaching them such as healthy ways of feeding infants among others,” she explained.

She said when she visited Lima ward in George compound to encourage health personnel at George Health Centre and enumerators conducting the beneficiary registration in area on the importance of the programme.

Mrs Chilende who is also the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee Chairperson said Lima ward in George Compound is among the 33 benefiting wards in the district.

She has since called on the public to fully take advantage of the opportunities government and other stakeholders are putting at their disposal to help enhance the fight against malnutrition and stunting.

Meanwhile Provincial Nutrition Support Coordinator Fanwell Kabbila announced that the beneficiary registration for households to be captured on the 1000 most critical programs has started with four initial wards out of the 33 in Lusaka district.

Mr Kabbila cited Kanyama ward 11, Kabulonga, Mutendere and Lima ward in George compound as one of the areas with high levels of malnutrition in Lusaka a situation he said was overwhelming the facility in the area.

“The intention and objective of the program is to see how best cases of malnutrition can be managed at household level to reduce the burden on health facilities,” he said.

Mr Kabbila further noted that the servility of stunting beyond 2 years of the child’s life is permanent and cannot be corrected hence the need for various interventions to prevent the growth of problem.

He said that stunting in Lusaka District currently stands at 23 percent further clarifying that the figure may seem to be low but Lusaka has a high population if the figure is translated into actual numbers.

Meanwhile George Health Centre In-charge Bridget Banda said the 1000 most critical days program has come at an opportune time as the facility is facing various cases of malnutrition.

Mrs Banda expressed gratitude that government through the National Food and Nutrition Commission has expanded coverage of scaling up nutrition to stimulate nutrition levels in households.