Maravi

Meteorologist advises govt to confront poverty

Meteorologist advises govt to confront poverty
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingston
Wed 05 Oct. 2011, 08:30 CAT

WE have to do something about poverty if we are to cope with the consequences of climate change, says a meteorologist. Southern Province meteorological officer Dr Daton Nanja in a presentation during the Zambia Meteorological Department Dissemination of the 2011-2012 Seasonal Forecast at Cabinet Office, said there should have been a well coordinated developmental programme on maize sheds as much of the crop had been soaked.

"Deaths in Africa where there is less climate information are higher than in other continents where information is available. We have to do something with poverty if we are to cope with the consequences of climate change," Dr Nanja said.

He said the ZMD had sufficient climate information and technology which the public should utilise.

"Climate change coupled with the increasing demand for food, fibre and fuel has the potential to irreversibly damage the natural resources on which the agriculture sector is dependent on with significant consequences on food security," Dr Nanja said.

He said a lot of sectors such as agriculture would have to cope up with climate change.

"I'm also to blame for the soaking of the maize as we should have warned the people that there would be showers, but they should have built better storage sheds," he said.

Dr Nanja said a lot of engineering works were so embarrassing that if there was to be a serious earth tremor reaching 5.6 on the Richter scale, a lot of buildings would fall.

Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

posted by MrK @ 1:48 PM