Yesterday, we held a women’s climate change indaba, during which Agritex officers, women farmers, and members of the local government discussed the gendered approach to climate change adaptation.
The participants raised the issues that they face when implementing climate-smart agriculture. Agritex officers were responsive to the questions that were asked by the women farmers.
Some of the recommendations that the farmers suggested were; the need to grow small grains, the establishment of VBUs in each and every village, the need for diversity in crop production, the need to produce drought-resistant traditional crops like sorghum, millet and wheat, irrigation and constant farmer field trainings. The community members also suggested the need to be provided with pesticides as some can not afford them.
A local Agritex Extension Officers` supervisor, Miss Musona, commended the work being done by 4-H Zimbabwe in ensuring women’s voices are heard and they do contribute to Climate Change strategies.
These recommendations will be drafted into a white paper that will be presented to the policymakers, to ensure women-friendly climate change adaptation strategies.
“We appreciate this recognition by 4-H Zimbabwe in amplifying our voices in Climate Change. We are looking forward to the feedback from the organisation so that our livelihoods are enhanced and we are climate resilient” said one of the participants and local farmer Nellia Manyawi.
