English

CIP is a web interface that integrates two important information sources into one easy to use interface. The first important source is a climate database that stores and manages queries to a large suite of observational climate data as well as projections of future climate. The second important source of information is an extensive collection of guidance documentation that facilitates the best use of the climate data, it’s interpretation and, importantly, resultant actions. The philosophy guiding CIP is that data is not information and as such only has value when well interpreted and correctly used or applied to appropriate problems.

CIP is targeted at a wide range of users. CIP has been designed to be easy and intuitive to use so as to provide easy and simple access to various climate information. However CIP has also been designed to offer important features such as data downloads that suite users more familiar with climate data. It is our hope that as CIP develops, and you the user provides us with feedback, we will continue to satisfy the needs of a wide range of users.

Agriculture in Namibia plays a critical role in the formal and informal economy supporting 70% of the population directly or indirectly through employment and income generation. The agricultural sector in Namibia contributes over 10% to the GDP of which 75-80% can be attributed to livestock farming. The livestock industry accounts for 90% of all agricultural production in Namibia with approximately 60% of households owning cattle, including nearly 40% of poor households. Crop production activities in Namibia are limited, mainly due to the arid climate and low rainfall patterns. Rain-fed crops include pearl millet, sorghum and maize are the most dominant crops grown in Namibia. The average yield for these crops ranges from 24.7 ton for pearl millet, 72,438 for maize and 14,819 for wheat. The dependence on rain-fed agriculture increases the vulnerability of farming systems and predisposes rural households to food insecurity and poverty. However, the reduction in crop yields will have devastating impacts on food security at both national and household levels. Under the current conditions, the agriculture sector in Namibia needs to grow by 4% a year to meet the food requirements for the expanding population. In light of these challenges, Namibia needs to adapt its agricultural practices and increase the resilience of livelihoods to be able to withstand the challenges posed by climate change to sustain development and growth of the country.

In many parts of southern Africa, agricultural production is stagnant or even in decline, particularly in subsistence and smallholder agriculture. The reasons are many and debatable, but include lack of suitable inputs for production, environmental constraints and degradation, inadequate agricultural infrastructure, external shocks including volatile markets, and social stresses such as the impacts of HIV/AIDS and growing poverty. As an additional stressor, increasing climate variability and climate change are impacting on agricultural livelihoods since resource-poor farmers are unable to cope with multiple stressors or adapt to climate-related risks. The Kingdom of Lesotho is a typical example of a country considered highly vulnerable to climate-related challenges: as one of the least developed countries (LDCs), it is over-reliant on rainfed agriculture for food production and has a large poor rural population engaged in subsistence farming, which is relatively undiversified.

This poster gives a brief description of what is a bio pesticide, its benefits and the most common ones currently under evaluation for efficacy under the Seychelles condition.

Aims: To determine differences in maize yields, optimal nitrogen (N) rates, and profitability on contrasting soil types and no-till and till management.
Study Design: Randomized block design field trials involving no-tillage and tillage practices were conducted on contrasting soil types (vertisols and inceptisols) to investigate the effect of N fertilizer rates on maize (Zea mays) grain yield.

Place and Duration of Study: Mohale’s Hoek District, Maphutseng, Lesotho over the 2012/2013

The Adaptation Network will be offering a series of training courses during 2016 that aim to cater to for different levels of adaptation knowledge and practice. The courses provide a broad foundation that  enable practitioners, officials and activists to gain greater insight into climate science and facilitate effective adaptation processes for members of vulnerable communities.

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) describes agricultural practices, approaches and systems that sustainably and reliably increase food production and the ability of farmers to earn a living, while protecting or restoring the environment.

CSA aims to build the food and nutrition security of the rural poor so that farm families have access to enough nutritious food at all times, even in the face of a changing climate.

CSA practices enable farming communities to:

sustainably and reliably increase agricultural productivity and incomes;

adapt and build resilience to extreme weather events and a changing climate; and

where appropriate, contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and concentrations.

Within the framework of the MANITATRA project implementation on COMESA funding which consists in scaling up the dissemination of agro ecological techniques and /or Climate Smart Agriculture[1] in the Middle West and South East regions of Madagascar, a field day dedicated to Climate Smart Agriculture was planned in each intervention area. The Field Day in the Middle West was held in March 2015 and was a real success.

The department has, over the years, continued to make a notable contribution in creating employment and skill development opportunities through implementation of the environment sector employment programmes broadly. In all 12 priority government outcomes, job creation features as a priority output. In the context of this imperative and the departmental mandate on ensuring benefit from environmental assets which, presents an opportunity to contribute significantly to job creation, social inclusion and the low carbon green economy; the department is responsible for the implementation of environmental Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the National Green Fund projects among others.

Instruction handbook for manual drilling teams on hydro-geology for well drilling, well installation and well development