First Lady leads environment conservation as Zim commemorates 4 special events
. . . holds counselling session in Buhera
ENVIRONMENT and wildlife patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday joined thousands of people, stakeholders and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife in celebrating four special events on the ministry’s calendar as she maintains a foothold in promoting awareness on environmental conservation and protection.
Events commemorated included the Africa Environment Day, also known as Wangari Maathai Day, the World Wildlife Day (traditionally commemorated on the 3rd of March every year), the World Meteorological Day and the International Day of Forests.
An avid environmentalist, the First Lady also launched the Pangolin Conservation Strategy and Action Plan.
To kick start proceedings at the colourful event in Buhera, Amai Mnangagwa led in the planting of 100 assorted fruit and indigenous trees at St Alban Chiweshe Primary School.
She then toured exhibition stands set up by environment development agencies where she interacted with exhibitors to fully understand issues around environmental conservation.
The four events are traditionally commemorated in March and this year they were running under the theme, “Harnessing Innovation for Climate Action and a Resilient Future”.
The mother of the nation thanked the people of Manicaland for voting President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF back into office in the August 2023 harmonised elections, allowing her to continue with her transformative empowerment projects.
Dr Mnangagwa said the commemorations harmonised efforts to create awareness on the environmental challenges the country faces while also acknowledging the great strides achieved in efforts to enable communities to address them.
“In our pursuit to accelerate climate action, we need to recognise the transformative power of access to quality, timeous and accurate climate and weather information services for disaster risk reduction.
“Ladies and gentlemen, whilst the environment faces a myriad of challenges, innovation is central in the forestry, wildlife and natural resource management. We need to work together; with businesses, communities, and civil society organisations to promote climate awareness, encourage sustainable practices, and support vulnerable populations in adapting to the impacts of climate change. Foster further development in renewable energy, clean technologies, and climate adaptation strategies is essential in our communities such as Buhera,” she said.
As the country commemorated World Meteorological Day, the First Lady said it reflected on the advancements made in meteorological technology and the remarkable progress achieved in pursuit of accurate weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
One notable aspect of this progress, she said, is the migration from old instruments to new digital technologies and automatic weather stations.
“The Meteorological Services Department can efficiently collect real-time data, for weather forecasts and climate predictions which are important, especially after our experience with Cyclone Idai and the current predicted 2023/24 El Nino year.
“I want to recognise significant strides made by the Government of Zimbabwe in the acquisition and placement of radars in Victoria Falls, Kariba, Bulawayo, Chiredzi, and Harare. With their ‘#Impact Based Forecasting’ and advanced capabilities, they provide us with invaluable insights into weather patterns, enabling us to anticipate and respond to potential hazards promptly.
“However, whilst we have made strides in improving climate and weather information, my heart sinks as the country is facing one of the pressing concerns, the phenomenon of 2023/24 El Niño which has resulted in a drought year.
“El Niño events have far-reaching consequences, affecting weather patterns within the region and causing significant disruptions to ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources.
“Our Government recognises the importance of understanding and predicting El Niño events to enable proactive measures to mitigate their impacts including investing in water harvesting technologies, tree planting, irrigation systems and practising climate-smart agriculture,” she said.
As Zimbabwe endeavours to address climate change, it could never undermine the traditional innovations of protecting trees and further planting them.
◆ Full story: www.herald.co.zw