The European Union (EU) has released €80 million for building disaster resilience to natural hazards, with the focus being floods and drought in some African countries. The beneficiary countries include Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Tanzania and Ghana among others.
This came to light when Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe and his Director for Disaster Risk Management Anderson Banda, paid a courtesy call on Zambia’s Ambassador to Italy, Dr. Katema.
The program is being implemented in Africa by four partners namely the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and the Africa Development Banks Climate special fund.
Mr. Kabwe and his team are in Italy to understand the coping capacities and mechanisms to natural hazards such as floods and drought, which Italy has been experiencing almost every year and also to understand how the country manages sectors such as agriculture in the wake of the said hazards.
Dr. Katema disclosed that the Italian Civil Protection in the Office of the Prime Minister is willing to work with the DMMU in building capacity on how to manage hazards affecting the country. He added that Zambia can learn more in terms of agriculture, which should start at household level to contribute to the national food basket.
He added that his mission has engaged IFAD to give loans to small scale farmers to enhance household food security. Dr Katema further commended the Zambian government through the DMMU for the response to the areas affected by the drought.
And Mr.Kabwe disclosed that government is exploring modalities of engaging the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to begin production of maize and other crops specifically for food security.
He said once logistics have been concluded, ZNS will be equipped with the necessary agriculture equipment to ensure effective production of maize and consequently reduce the effects of the drought hazard on households.
Mr. Kabwe has further assured the public that government is doing everything possible to respond to the food insecurity being experienced in parts of the country and not to listen to people trying to politicise the situation.
He added that the 2019/2020 forecast has given hope and an opportunity for the country to recover from the shocks being experienced.
This is contained in a statement availed to the media by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) Communications officer Racheal Chama.
[Smart Eagles]
In lieu of Sajeni’s disclosure that UPND is for Tonga’s and that Sakwiba cannot be President of UPND because he is not Tonga and consequential follow out of Sakwiba, Dr. Banda and GBM from the party, UPND cult President HH, owner of Three Mansions, one in Kabulonga, one in NAMWALA and one in PANAMA has declared UPND a national disaster.
When you mention the name SAKWIBA my heart shudders when the name brings to light how he suffered at the hands of the ruthless terrorist grouping the UPNDEAD. It feels like yesterday when that slogan makes a deafening sound in the valley of upndead tribal crooks.
Bamunyama bali kulula maninji. Musankwa h² kulisumpula maningi mu kulyanankwela, mwamona ka. He literally kunyanga leadership opportunity from Sakwiba without Kugunwa uyu suntwe.
This one also, he (h² the thrilled) will say without buusu that because he intervened by declaring the hunger situation in Zambia thats why EU has done this.
Yet Sakwiba is a traditional cousin of theirs! If they treated him like that what more everyone who is an outsider? Thank God this cult leader must NEVER be allowed anywhere near the State House. HAZALUZA HAGAIN.
The EU never seems to learn. U don’t give money to African counties like that.
ZNS makes sense, don’t ever do the vouchers.
You people have short memory, all these food shortages is because of Agriculture minister Dora Siliya, she was a disaster with those EU grants. I could jail that woman.
Leading from behind!
Disaster declared and funds now rolling in! One is definitely a more caring leader than the other one!
PF will eat this money, EU make proper arrangements to avoid this mismanagement that has been going on for too long
HH has teeth to “eat the money?” He chews paper and metal? He chews the dollars in PANAMA too? That makes sense! That is why he has Three Mansions!
Africa shouldn’t look for help from outside, it is not good it only promotes laziness and not doing more to improve the continent.
Helps will not improve livelihoods in Africa, Africans do more for themselves that waiting for help from some where.
That’s like a joke. That converts to 70467416.04 Sterling UK. DIVIDE that by 56 countries approximately, it works out like 1.258M per country. That’s hardly helpful for over populated countries to cover needs effectively.
All they are doing is stuffing brown envelopes!
NO NEED OF TRAVELLING TO ITALY TO LEARN HOW THEY COPE WITH DISASTERS THE INTERNET IS FULL OF INFORMATION TODAY FURTHERMORE WE HAVE ALOT OF AGRIC.LEARNED GURU’S SOME OF THEM UPTO PHD ON DISASTER RELIEF TOPICS BUT LEADERSHIP ONLY SEES THE BLIND IN AFRICA
Zambia has been an independent country for over 50 years and are we being told that the country has no knowledge of how to manage disasters and yet we have DMMU. Is this a joke or what? It could be more honourable to just to tell us that we want to make some allowances than that joke.