Government working on climate resistant crops

Government on the Copperbelt Province has embarked on an exercise to identify crops that are climate resistant.

ZANIS reports that the District Agriculture Coordinating Office (DACO) and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) are the two departments tasked to undertake the exercise.

Speaking in an interview, DMMU Copperbelt Province Coordinator, George Akalemwa disclosed that the two departments have been working together and that the findings are yet to be concluded.

Mr Akalemwa pointed out that once concluded, the information will assist government in putting up an intervention that modify the vulnerability of the agricultural produce.

He stressed that most studies covered have interlinked impact of climate change to low yield in crop produce thereby affecting food security at household level.

“The purpose of the exercise is to gather information in the districts on crops which farmers can grow and obtain a good yield in order to maintain food security”, said Mr Akalemwa.

“Climate change is widely regarded as a threat to food security with the worst affected being small scale farmers, ” he added.

Mr Akalemwa added that the impact of climate change is evident in the province and its effects is being experienced from the flash floods and high temperatures experienced in selected districts.

However, he was quick to mention that government did move in earlier and responded to the impact by supporting households with relief foods.

“DMMU unit has mitigated the impact experienced in the just ended rain season and made sure no one died during this period. Whenever disaster is recorded in any part of the Copperbelt province, we are alert as a unit and we move in on time” he said.

Mr Akalemwa said where there is food insecurity, mealie meal has been provided and where floods have been recorded, and settlers are moved to new locations.

“The traditional leaders in the province have also been helpful with providing information, which has enabled this government to attend to its citizenry on time,” he said.