Opinion: Climate Change Education and Outreach Need to be Intensified
Africa needs to institutionalise climate change and intensify education and information outreach programmes among communities if the impact of climate change is to reduce, a senior development expert has said.
Speaking at the second Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) agency director of programmes Estherine Fotabong said the continent needs a transformative adaptation to climate change.
“Most countries in Africa are making efforts to highlight the impacts of climate on agriculture. However, despite these efforts, gaps and disconnects still exist between climate change impacts and adaptation efforts. The gaps include absence of plans and policies that incorporate climate change issues, education on climate change among communities, and information on outreach programmes,” she said.
According to a statement issued by the Nepad communications unit, Ms Fotabong said institutional frameworks for action, drought-resistant crop varieties, and smallholder water harvesting and supply strategies have continued to lack.
UN Photo/Tobin Jones