The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement (MoLAFWRR) has received five vehicles to enhance mobility support to officials and extensions workers implementing the seven-year Green Climate Fund project, which aims to build resilient smallholder farmers exposed to the impact of climate change.
The vehicles, handed over by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will be key to reaching over 2.3 million people that the project targets.
In a statement read on her behalf, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Ms. Madelena Monoja said: “The support is intended to complement Government efforts in capacitating the Ministry to achieve the climate adaptation milestones as outlined in the country`s National Climate Response Strategies and Policies.”
“The vehicle support will enable partners in the provinces and districts to be present on the ground as they support 21 irrigation schemes to revitalize and climate-proof irrigation infrastructure.”
Receiving the vehicles, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement said: “As climate change takes its toll on the entire country, the impact is being experienced most intensely in the southern provinces, where most smallholder farmers are extremely vulnerable to increasing climate hazards because of poverty and weak access to services and institutional resources.”
The Green Climate Fund project is being implemented in 15 Districts across three provinces of Manicaland (Buhera, Chimanimani & Chipinge), Masvingo (Bikita, Chivi, Chiredzi, Masvingo, Mwenezi and Zaka) and Matabeleland South Beitbridge (Gwanda, Insiza, Mangwe, Matobo and Umzingwane).
The project seeks to strengthen the vulnerable smallholder farmers, especially women, to adapt to climate change induced impacts on their agroecosystems and livelihoods. Activities will include revitalization of irrigation schemes, upgrading water and soil moisture management and water use efficiency, climate-resilient agriculture and improving access to climate information and markets.
