EXPERTS WANT POLICIES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE

Experts have called for holistic policies to address climate change, food security and trade which are intertwined. Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), Head of Governance and Capacity, Mrs Margaret Kasembe, said climate change and repeated extreme weather events have continued to put some areas at risk of food security.

Mrs Kasembe made her remarks when opening the 6th National Reference Group Meeting on Sustaining Improvements in Climate, Food and Policy Coherence, which is under the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International PACT East Africa Community (EAC) Project launched in 2013.

She said crop failures in flooded areas, livestock deaths in increasingly arid lands and unaffordable food in markets have become a common challenge in the country.

 "Trade also plays a critical role in the food security equation as it is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and several levels of trade policy influence farmers' choices for growing and selling, set the price for agricultural inputs and food sold in local markets," she explained.

She noted that coping with climate related hunger calls for an inclusive, coordinated and coherent three dimensional approach owned by all relevant stakeholders in the East African Region.

Mrs Kasembe said PACT EAC project which ends this year explored challenges at the interplay of Climate Change, Agriculture and Trade and how to address them through instilling greater policy coherence across the issues.

"Based on that study and advocacy campaign was launched in Tanzania for promoting a more harmonious policy framework on issues at the interface of trade, climate change and food security, which included reducing deforestation, increase reforestation and afforestation and adaptation of localised strategies," she explained.

She noted that the campaign has taken up positive action towards addressing issues related to alternative sources of energy other than charcoal, adding that over time, strategies adopted over time are showing good results in agriculture.

In his remarks, the Director of CUTS International, Nairobi Office, Mr Clement Onyango, said the aim of PACT EAC is to look at the link between Climate, Food and Trade before, which was not there before and come up with linked policies.

Mr Onyango said there is a need for all responsible ministries to work together in addressing the three issues whose impact are related. "Someone who used to sell between 4 to 5 sacks of maize, for instance, is selling less than that and the price will definitely be high...we want to sit together and figure out policies that will address these issues holistically and bring the responsible ministries to work together," he explained.

He said the project want to see farmers employing Climate Smart Agriculture strategies and engage in approaches that will help them increase their harvest in the existing climatic conditions.

A researcher with ESRF, Mr Solomon Baregu, said a study conducted in 2012 by the research institution showed dangerous levels of deforestation in the country, a lot of which was used to generate charcoal. He said early this year the institution started the campaign to educate the public on the use of alternative cooking energy made from waste.

"The campaign which is still going on, has taken up positive action toward addressing issues related to alternative sources of energy other than charcoal," he explained.