Government has joined hands with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish innovative strategies in climate-smart social protection and agriculture.
Recognizing the urgency of adapting to changing climatic conditions that have led to the declaration of a state of emergency, due to crop failure, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has since intensified social protection programmes to promote food security and provide a social safety net amidst the crisis.
Speaking when UNDP Resident representative Mr James Wakiaga, paid a courtesy call on her, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary, Ms. Angela Kawandami, said the Government is working around the clock to mitigate the effects of the drought on vulnerable populations.
She said the Ministry is in the process of finalizing the social protection coordination strategy for enhanced response to current and future crises.
“With climate change continuing to escalate, proactive measures such as these partnerships are vital for safeguarding livelihoods and ensuring food security in the country”, Ms Kawandami
And Mr. Wakiaga said UNDP is leveraging resources and expertise to develop robust frameworks aimed at enhancing preparedness mechanisms to address the adverse effects of climate change on vulnerable communities and agricultural sectors in Zambia.
He cited the Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural Livelihoods in Agro-Ecological Regions I and II in Zambia ( SCRALA) project, which has prioritized smart agriculture, as one of the successful programmes which can be applied to various agriculture-based social protection programmes being implemented by the Ministry.
Mr Wakiaga further said implementing resilient social protection programs and promoting climate-smart agricultural practices should take centre because climate change is a reality we need to collectively address.
He said Zambia like never before has been hit with the devastating crop failure that has led to hunger in many parts of the country which requires integrating climate resilience into social protection policies and agricultural strategies.
