By Lawrence Kabutu
A Gender Specialist with Global Water Partnership for Southern Africa says her Project has scaled –up the training on Gender Transformation in Kazungula district of Southern Province in Zambia.
Litumelo Matiservus also noted that the Gender Transformation training will enhance the understanding on gender issues and social inclusion in climate smart agriculture among smallholder farmers.
Ms. Litumelo made the disclosure to the National Agricultural Information Services during a four days training work shop of farmers in Kazungula district.
She said in rural areas there are some gender inequalities that are persistently in agriculture due to the changing climate and social cultural norms and understanding of gender.
She stated that GWP in working in closer partnership with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) to improve the lives of the communities in Chief Mukuni’s chiefdom in Katapazi agriculture camp.
Ms. Litumelo explained that working in closer collaboration with the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), CCARDESA, and GWP, the three regional projects have emphasised on issues of energy, Smart Agriculture, and water security.
‘’ As we are starting an Irrigation Scheme at Katapazi we want to create a solid formation of knowledge among beneficiary farmers for them to understand why we are doing the water, energy, and food project. They can also draw lessons from the Irrigation scheme project at Katapazi and use in their own livelihood agriculture activities,’’ she said.
Ms. Litumelo is hopeful that farmers will have a better understanding of climate adaptation methods through climate smart agriculture.
‘’ We also hoping that farmers will draw lessons on how they can use the three components emphasized by the three regional projects to enhance their livelihoods and also awareness of different roles among family members comprising women, boys, and girls,’’ said Ms. Litumelo.
And speaking on behalf of the ministry of Agriculture Kazungula district Agricultural Supervisor Betty Mwindwe called on farmers to take the lessons delivered during the training seriously.
Mrs. Mwindwe called on farmers to engage in crop diversification and encouraged women to participate in the project.
She noted that female headed households should be among the beneficiaries in the irrigation scheme.
