African climate goes haywire while Trump gags climate researchers
News
Zimbabwe’ s smallholder irrigation receives international funding
Zimbabwe ' s smallholder irrigation sector has received a US $ 25.5mn grant from the International Fund for Agricultural Development( IFAD). According to Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the grant signed in Rome on 18 November, 2016 will support the Zimbabwe Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation programme( SIRP). It is also reported that IFAD approved the grant in September 2016. �e SIRP is targeting 4,000 ha of smallholder irrigation schemes in communal and old resettlement areas in the country ' s four provinces namely Manicaland, Matebeleland South, Masvingo and Midlands. Chinamasa said that the objective of the programme is to sustainably
Agriculture
increase diversi ed production, productivity, income and improve resilience of households in the selected mostly dry and arid regions of the country. �e programme also seeks to provide support to improve market access and capacity building measures to boost food security, enhance management capacities within government and farmers institutions and to ensure the sustainability of the investment. the case. In 2014, the long rains barely came at all in Kenya, triggering a huge drought, incomes and livelihoods took a massive hit with widespread crop failures and livestock deaths. Again in 2015 the long rains were poor and, surprise surprise, in 2016 too. And, it doesn ' t seem to be getting better any time soon, the United Nations is warning that Kenyans should brace themselves:“ �ere is serious drought looming in 2017”( Reuters). In summary, those previously reliable rainfall patterns are seriously messed up. �ere is generally less rain, and when it does come, it ' s erratic( IPCC, 2014). Smallholder farmers especially are at the mercy of the climate; crops, incomes and livelihoods are all on the line – and they can do little more than try again and pray. In our small way, we hope that our solar irrigation pump will help farmers adapt to the erratic climate patterns, since the rains can no longer be relied upon. At least if there is a nearby water source farmers can guarantee a harvest in the dry season. And unlike increasingly common petrol pumps, our solar pumps won ' t contribute to the rapidly rising carbon emissions which are the cause of this instability. But for oods, all we can do is offer our sympathy and some sand bags to these inundated farmers. As for the new US administration, comfortable in their climate controlled buildings, blissfully ignorant to the daily battles of smallholder farmers, history will not look kindly upon them. It is each of our jobs to ensure that science, and climate friendly innovations prevail.
African climate goes haywire while Trump gags climate researchers
Dam Linings and Tarps
Earth dam linings Reservoir linings
Mid-dry season – Western Kenya
A couple of days ago, something strange and awful happened in one of the farming communities we work with in Western Kenya: a ash ood. �e strange thing about this? It ' s meant to be the dry season. Two huge rainstorms hit Kisumu county and a river burst its banks. �e carefully planted and irrigated crops were obliterated in an instant, now they sit waterlogged and rotting. �is season there will be no harvest for the farmers. Meanwhile, far away on the other side of the world, one of the rst actions by the new US President was to remove all references to climate change from the White House website, ll his cabinet with oil barons, and to instigate an apparent clampdown on climate scientists speaking to the media. To anyone paying the slightest bit of attention, it ' s clear to see the climate is changing. �irty years ago, the rainy and dry seasons in Kenya were as reliable as clockwork. For generations, smallholder farmers planted seeds in anticipation of the rains, growing two crop cycles each year to exploit the rainy periods. However, in the ve years I ' ve been involved in smallholder irrigation, every single African farmer I ' ve spoken with has told me this is no longer
Trailer Tarpaulins
Welded mesh reservoirs Truck tarpaulins
For more informa on contact
+ 27 72 279 3294 Or visit www. tatamatarps. co. za
January- February 2017
FARMERS
[ 10 ] REVIEW AFRICA www. farmersreviewafrica. com