- Stagnated water, when untreated, becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which cause malaria.
- Most African countries receive abundant sunlight throughout the year, so solar can generate electricity for both on- and off-grid applications.
- In Africa, countries need to emulate African countries like Morocco, which has the Noor Solar Complex Program, the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant.
Climate change and its repercussions come with drought as a package, affecting food security and triggering other adverse effects.
Climate Change champions are rallying for Kenya communities to return to seed-saving and plant drought-resistant seeds.
These practices will bring around issues of food sovereignty.
Climate change has affected the health sector, too.
Due to flooding, water stagnation, and poor drainage systems, clean water mixes up with sewage, especially in cities and slums.
The domestic consumption of such contaminated water causes diseases like cholera.
Stagnated water, when untreated, becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which cause malaria.
The financial implication of the situation ranges from high costs of treatment to scarcity, therefore, high cost of clean water by vendors.
With women being the ones primarily involved in getting water for the family, most of them have fallen into accusations over infidelity, as waiting for the long queues at the waterpoint is time-consuming, and some return home late.
According to Leonida Odongo, Founder of Haki Nawiri, research has shown that STIs are rising, as more women exchange water for sex.
Currently, the heat waves happening abroad have reached Africa. In equatorial countries like Burkina Faso, they are experiencing sweltering temperatures, causing health issues and even death.
The marginalized, the indigenous people, and the pastoralist communities are the most affected by this repercussion of climate change.
The call to control floods and prevent soil erosion was very vibrant in the past.
Nowadays, no one seems to even bother to build gabions and call for a collective harambee to prevent soil erosion.
Majorly, the solution will be conducting sensitization on reducing harmful human-made activities, like poor farming and deforestation.
As more indigenous trees get cut and, at times, replaced with exotic trees, other effects keep lingering.
According to an Ogiek environmentalist, Judy Kipkenda, her community depends on honey for survival.
With the exotic trees, there will be no nectar for the bees and no herbal medicine that most communities rely on.
The slogan in the past was “cut one, plant two.” Unfortunately, she says it is not being upheld to date.
Way forward
Ms. Kipkenda says if allowed to address the African leaders attending the ongoing African Climate Summit 2023 in Kenya, she would like to advise them to:
Firstly, incorporate indigenous education in schools and integrate indigenous knowledge in learning institutions on matters touching on climate change.
Secondly, they should involve rural communities in the decision-making processes. She says the indigenous people have solutions related to climate change adaptations, but the leaders are never going to them.
Thirdly, the leaders should invest in initiatives and opportunities that involve restoration and protection of the ecosystem, such as afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable land management practices.
“…if we stop cutting trees and plant indigenous trees in Kenya, there will be no need for this fake carbon saving businesses.” She adds
Fourthly, empower the young people and give them climate education. If young people are not taught, they will not know their responsibility over their environment and inhabitants.
Fifthly, the leaders should lead by example and not end their talks in the boardroom and help the solutions reach the people in the community.
They should appoint qualified environmentalists in departments of climate change.
Daud Manongi is an environmental health activist, apiculture and meliponiculture specialist, and food sovereignty advocate, currently working for the Tanzania Alliance of Biodiversity Conservation Program to address the energy crisis in Africa.
Strategies
While discussing the stake of Africa’s energy and its cost, Manongi says several strategies can be considered:
Investment in renewable energy sources, solar, wind, and geothermal energy: Several African countries have the potential to develop the geothermal sector to a greater extent and produce more power.
The other one is the diversification of energy sources to enhance energy security and reduce the monotony of relying on a single energy supply.
Third, Manongi says governments can enact supportive policies and regulatory reforms that encourage private sector participation, attract investments, and create a conducive environment for energy generation.
These investments cannot be only by people from outside; we can foster our innovative solutions by tapping the creative minds who can be empowered and be part of making changes in the communities.
He also suggests promoting deeper research and innovation that can lead to new technologies and solutions.
By embracing such, we can combine different practices in which African countries can work towards a more resilient energy sector.
“We have a chance, if we can talk to companies that are innovative enough to tap the geothermal energy, it can be used as one of the things that can be used to produce natural energy,” he says.
In Africa, countries need to emulate African countries like Morocco, which has the Noor Solar Complex Program, the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant.
It produces 618 GWh annually and sits on 3000 hectares.
Most African countries receive abundant sunlight throughout the year, so solar can generate electricity for both on- and off-grid applications.
Manongi says, “Women and Youth can play a crucial role, but first from the technology and skills transfer through institutions.
This can be enhanced further by giving scholarships to young women and girls to go and pursue related causes.”
He adds that smallholder farmers can be trained in biogas generation.
The number of people who can be integrated into different programs will be according to the reality and needs of families in society.
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