|
 A local environmentalist has called on the government to come up with a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan to help mitigate drought in some parts of the country.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the 2012-2013 farming season will be characterised by normal to above normal rainfall in the northern regions.
However, some parts of the country such as the Midlands, Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces will be severely hit by drought.
The same areas were hit by drought during the previous season leaving humans and animals to scrounge for food and water.
Government intervened with the grain loan scheme where farmers were supposed to pay back the grains after harvesting from the 2012-2013 rainfall season.
But now that the forthcoming season is expected to be characterised by severe drought, government has been urged to come up with a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan which will help mitigate the issue of drought.
Zimbabwe Regional Environmental Organisation co-ordinator, Mr Shepherd Zvigadza said the government should immediately come up with policies to ensure that communities that are in the drought prone regions are cushioned against drought.
He said the government should come up with methods such as conservation agriculture, water harnessing, planting crops that are drought resistant and drip irrigation.
Mr Zvigadza said climate change is a major scientific and developmental issue, which must be addressed at the highest level of government, not through piecemeal structures but via sweeping policy changes.
Due to climate change, extreme weather conditions such as droughts, floods and heat waves are likely to be experienced more than what used to happen in the past.
 |
