MBALA TRADITIONAL LEADER VOWS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

SEEING how the effects of climate change is getting worse nowadays, a traditional leader in Mbala District of Northern Province has vowed to fight climate change by not allowing the wanton felling and destruction of trees in the village.

Kalambo Falls Village head man, Misheck Simbao of Zombe’s Chiefdom said he would do anything possible within the law to stop the subjects from cutting down trees to protect the environment from further destruction.

He said there was no reason for people in the village to continue cutting trees indiscriminately which results in deforestation and the depletion of natural resources when the Zambian Government through the World Bank funded Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) has provided them with empowerment to improve their livelihoods.

“With these interventions, I will never allow the people in my village to continue cutting trees indiscriminately which results in deforestation and the depletion of natural resources. I will not take it lightly,” the Village head man said in an exclusive interview as he….

Mr Simbao disclosed that the interventions to improve the quality of life among rural dwellers by the TRALARD project in the district, and region at large had not only benefited the vulnerable community members, but also that of the traditional leadership including himself.

In Mbala District, Kalambo Falls Village head man, Misheck Simbao of Zombe’s Chiefdom is one of the traditional leaders whose living standards have improved owing to the project’s intervention in the area.

In October 2022, the TRALARD project which is implemented by the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment empowered Kalabo Falls Cooperative in Chief Zombe with technical and financial support totalling K758, 985 to support their proposed piggery and gardening project.

The funds also went towards the construction of a piggery and stocked with 5 pigs, as well as installation of the mechanized water system and a kiosk from the nearby natural spring.

This development has elated not only members of the community but also the village head man, Misheck Simbao who is a direct beneficiary of the mechanized water system.

The village head man who has since endorsed the project said the mechanized water system from the natural spring that the TRALARD project provided for the community has enhanced people’s livelihoods.

Mr Simbao testified that for the first time, his village has a 24 hours supply of clean and safe piped drinking water.

He added that this development has enhanced economic activities such as gardening among others, as well as reduced cases of diarrhoea diseases which were the order of the day in the past.

“This project (TRALARD) has improved our living standard. For example, my house is connected to piped water, and I’m not the only one, the entire village is for the first time drinking clean and safe piped water.

“In addition, we are involved in vegetable gardening at household levels because the TRLARD project has provided us with water. All I can say is that thank you to the Government, and the World Bank for this empowerment,” the traditional leader said.

He noted that the TRALARD’s interventions have not only resulted in the better management of natural resources, but also helped in the generation of incremental income for the village communities.

“That is why I am saying that I will not allow the people in the village to continue with activities that trigger climate change, “he said.

Meanwhile, District TRALARD Project Operations Officer, Chiindi Chiputa disclosed that over K34 million has been disbursed as grants to 46 cooperative groups under the TRALARD project in the district.

Mrs Chiputa explained that the project started in 2021 and has since impacted positively on the lives of vulnerable communities in Mbala.

“In Mbala District, the project has seen positive changes in cooperative groups through the provision of grants to enable them engage in diversified livelihoods and improved farming practices,” she added.

She further disclosed that the cooperatives had invested in goat rearing, poultry, crop production as well as aquaculture.

Mrs Chiputa said this has helped to transform the lives of the beneficiaries especially in the wake of climate change.

“I can confirm that all the projects that have been funded in Mbala district are running smoothly and have been well executed by the beneficiaries,” she further disclosed.

Mrs Chiputa added that the project emphasises sustainability as one of its core objectives to guarantee the sustainability of the businesses of the cooperative groups.

She said that it is for this reason that the groups that received the funds were capacitated to competently run their projects.

Mrs Chiputa has since expressed happiness over the progress that the cooperatives have made in implementing their projects aimed at promoting sustainable, resilience, and diversified livelihoods in communities.

It is heart-warming to see traditional leaders taking a leading role in the fight against climate change.

When it comes to tackling climate change, everyone needs to be brought to the table, especially the local traditional, church and civic leaders. They have invaluable knowledge of community and social norms that can be harnessed into climate action.

This is because they live in close proximity to the people and have more direct control on their communities than outside government agents. This structure gives them a vintage social position to oversee the mainstreaming of effective climate change adaptation practices within communities.

Given its complexity and uniqueness, external intervention through government and non-governmental agents alone can hardly foster climate change adaptation particularly at local levels within communities.

Traditional leaders, who have for a long time been useful in the governance of people in various rural communities, can play a supportive role in climate change adaptation. This is because they do not only serve as governance authorities but also know the traditional strategies of combating the negative effects of climate change.

They also have influence and the ability to mobilize others to support developmental initiatives in the community.

Besides, traditional leaders are powerful drivers of development because of the influence and respect they command amongst their people and being the custodians of the land, they also know the ancestral territories.

However, there is an urgent need for the Government and relevant international organisations to extend capacity building on the part of traditional leaders to improve their knowledge base. This would enable them to appreciate the integration of indigenous and modern climate change adaptation strategies.