Threats of Climate Change, a stumbling block to Zambia’s economic growth

By Clinton Masumba in Kitwe

The Zambian Government has estimated that the impact of climate change will cost the nation approximately 0.4 percent of annual economic growth if no action is taken to address the serious threats.

National Development planning Minister Lucky Mulusa has indicated that rainfall variability alone could lead to losses of 0.9 percent of GDP growth over the next decade, thereby keeping a significant section of Zambia’s population below the poverty line.

Zambia has been experiencing effects of climate change resulting in extreme weather conditions, such as droughts, rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns. The frequency and intensity of climate events is expected to rise in future, with negative impact on the economy and consequently people’s livelihoods.

In its 7th National Development Plan, Zambia has placed Agriculture as a priority to help grow the economy moving away from mining which has been the country’s major stay of the economy.

However, this may never be realised without addressing threats Climate Change is posing. Despite the many policy statements, Climate change management efforts have not been aligned with mainstream development processes in Zambia.

This has largely been attributed to a shortage of human, technical and institutional capacity in the field of climate change and adaptation. Knowledge gaps have been identified as a particular barrier to the mainstreaming of climate change risks into agricultural planning.

Zambia has not done any economic assessments on the value of improved climate risk information for the protection and improvement of livelihoods, which limits understanding of how much to invest in climate information services.

The growth of Zambia’s economy will largely depend on the Agriculture sector, which government is heavily investing in but without addressing climate change, the reality is farfetched. Threats of Climate Change remain a stumbling block to Zambia’s economic growth.

For instance, the fall in the country’s hydro-power generation in the recent period by about 600 Megawatts has mainly been attributed to poor rainfall patterns. The lower supply of electricity has hampered growth prospects of Zambia’s productive sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing and mining.

Climate Change Activist Musosha Mweelwa is however deeply concerned that despite the effects being so visible very little seems to be done to help reduce the impact in the near future.

Mr Mweelwa is of the view that government sets aside a considerable amount towards fighting effects of Climate Change in the 2018 National Budget if the economy is to record positive growth.

“Climate Change finance is a huge challenge not only for Zambia but other countries across the globe too, African countries need to realise that they have the capacity to reduce the impact of Climate Change by mainstreaming into development the activities, as government presents the 2018 national budget, a considerable amount should be allocated to programs aimed at fighting threats of climate change.” He said.

However increasing demand for wood and wood products has exerted pressure on natural forest resources throughout the world, including in Zambia. These resources are currently under threat due to many factors, the most important being clearing of forest land for agricultural production.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has placed a ban on the export of all timber species.

The minister in charged Jean Kapata said the move was necessitated by the need to curb rapid deforestation arising from illegal timber harvesting. Between 2000 and 2014 Zambia lost an average of 276 000 hectares of forest per year.

And the European Union (EU) has advised African Countries to develop ambitious policies aimed at tackling Climate Change.

Speaking when she addressed Journalists from across Africa who attended a Workshop on Climate Change Organized by Climate Tracker in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, EU Deputy Head of Delegation Terhi Lehtinen said African countries needed to take seriously threats of Climate Change.

She said taking a new approach towards addressing climate change threats offers great opportunities that will come with economic growth in respective countries.

Lehtinen stated that tackling Climate Change is not a responsibility for governments alone but calls for concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

“We are encouraging African countries to start implementing Climate Change policy plans, because we are aware that this will also help in job creation for local people in the respective Countries” Lehtinen said.

Climate change has emerged as one of the world’s greatest developmental challenges in the 21st century. Across the globe climate change has caused serious damage to the environment and to human life in general. According to expert assessments, global warming is expected to have worst impacts in Africa, South and West Asia; suggesting that developing countries are more vulnerable to climate change than developed countries.

Take seriously threats of climate change, Government urged

The Zambian government has been advised to invest heavily in the implementation of environmental protection policies to tackle the threats of climate change, reports Clinton Masumba.

For over a decade, Zambia has recorded an increase in deforestation especially in most rural parts that are not electrically serviced as people resort to cutting trees for the production of charcoal.

On the other hand, clearing of forests for agriculture, construction, and industrialization is likely to increase the risks of climate change. Forests protect watersheds, provide erosion control, and absorb carbon that would otherwise contribute to global warming.

The trend has worried Food and Trees for Zambia (FTZ), a non-governmental organisation championing the fight against deforestation.

FTZ executive director Edwin Sekelechi is worried about the excessive pressure on natural plantations that have existed for years due to lack of proper protective systems.

He says the increased industrialisation taking place in Zambia has led to the destruction of natural forests especially in mining areas.

Sekelechi has called for more investment aimed at empowering forest departments to ensure the recruitment of forest rangers to guard natural forests from deforestation.

Deforestation rates are estimated at between 200,000 and 300,000 hectares per year. Extensive forest exploitation is related to the production of charcoal, which contributes to carbon monoxide emissions. About 72% of urban households use charcoal.

Zambia has accessed climate finance from other sources such as the Least Developed Countries Fund to undertake adaptation measures in the agricultural sector, as well as the Pilot Program on Climate Resilience.

The primary concern of the Government is to protect its people, infrastructure, and other national assets against disasters and climatic hazards such as droughts and floods.

It is in this regard that Government has put in place the National Disaster Management Policy and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit under the Office of the Vice President in order to respond to the disasters at the national level.

Government has also shown commitment in ensuring that the vulnerable communities who suffer the most are supported with safety-net initiatives which would enhance their adaptive capacity in reducing their vulnerabilities.

Increase in early marriages among young girls worries NGO

By Clinton Masumba in Kitwe

The high number of young Girls dropping out of schools due to early pregnancies and early marriages has shocked a Non Governmental Organisation Charity Centre for Child and Youth Development in Zambia

Statistics in most rural parts of Zambia have revealed that some parents prefer marrying off their girl child to taking them to school thereby denying them an opportunity to access education services.

Lufwanyama District on the Copperbelt Province is an example that has seen young girls being pulled out of school to enter marriage as a source of income for their parents.

It is however shocking that despite hosting one of the Best Boarding Schools in the Province, the school is occupied by those from other towns as the hosts prefer marriage to education.

A chat with a number of young girls, exposed how some parents have resorted to bad habits of marrying off their children at a tender age for financial gain.

“i am Nancy Mwale (not real Names) i had my child when i was 17years now i am expecting another. I am married and my husband is a farmer just here, i love him because we stay together. At first i didn’t want to get married but when i failed grade nine exams twice my parents told me to get married, at first i refused and they stopped giving me food that is how i entered into marriage”

“It was not easy at first especially when i was pregnant, but for now i am managing and my husband is doing well, but i would love to go to school but i don’t think i can even manage, i am not the only one married or with a child we are many in the community if you ask around. It’s not possible for me to leave my marriage for school my husband or even my parents cannot allow me” narrated the 19 year mother of one and 6 months pregnant.

Another 18 year old girl has been forced into marriage immediately after finishing her grade 12 because she has no one to sponsor her tertiary level of education.

Mirriam Musonda (not real names) said she has always wanted to become a medical Doctor but her dream has been shuttered because there is no one to sponsor her studies.

“i only got my results yesterday and here i am being called someone’s wife, i know my results are not very good but i was ready to get back to school and rewrite some subjects were i didn’t do well, i have 26 points and i was planning to reduce them so that i go to college. My parents told me that a man wanted to marry me and had already paid part of the bride price but i refused and went to my aunt’s place but they still came for me and took me to the man. He is a miner and the good part is that he is willing to take me to school after i have the baby. I am managing; it’s been difficult because i was just forced but i have accepted it, the dream of becoming a doctor i long gone i will do something different when i decide” she told the reporter.

The two young girls are just among the many girls dropping out of school to get into marriage as a way of pleasing their parents.

“Surviving here is not easy, you take someone to schools and there results are always bad then what can you do? Some of us have spent a lot of money on our children yet we get nothing in return, it’s wrong to marry them off but there are no options. Personally my fear that she may just get pregnant and i lose out so it’s better someone marries her following procedure. Most of my children are male the girls are too young, No i don’t think of doing that but when they grow older it will also depend on our financial status and their performance in school.” One of the Parents narrated.

Charity Centre for Children and Youth Development Executive Director Alex Bwaluka said it is painful to see how young girls are dropping out of school due to early marriages and pregnancies.

Mr Bwaluka who has been undertaking activities concerning children in schools is shocked that some parents have resorted to marrying off their children as a source of livelihood.

“A girl child has fallen victim to bad vices that have seen them get married at very tender age. Surprisingly some parents find pride in seeing their children get married early for fear of the falling pregnant. For Northern Western Province Rational leaders have taken the issue very serious and warned that all those engaging in such vices are punished. We must find a lasting solution to end this because the future of a girl child is under serious threat.” He said.

The need for concerted efforts to fight the bad vices cannot be over emphasized.