All the warnings about the dangers of climate change are coming home to roost in Luangwa where hunger is
stalking the area because of global warming. Luangwa is reportedly on the verge of sliding into extreme poverty as a result of the effects of climate change, which have not only reduced food production
in the area but are also causing serious environmental challenges. This is according to local traditional leader, Chief
Mphuka of the Chikunda people of Luangwa District. There is no doubt that climate change has the ability to cause untold misery to many countries where people fail to heed the warning signs. Unfortunately, the
warning signs in the Luangwa area have been ignored for a long time and now we as a nation are paying the price.
In addition to the devastation caused by climate change, the elephant population is adding more misery by destroying crops, which the local people would otherwise depend on. We think that Government should quickly mount an
intervention to save the people from starvation. To start with, this calls for the intervention by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) through provision of relief food supplies and other necessities to the affected communities. According to Chief Mphuka, the devastating effects of climate change are being felt by some rural communities. And in a statement issued by Priscilla Chama Mpengula, the ChildFund Zambia Communications
Specialist, Chief Mphuka said food has become a challenge for many people in Luangwa because the
little crops that survive Climate Change effects are often destroyed by elephants. Therefore, as the nation reflects on World Environment Day which falls on June 5th every year, it is important to note what has contributed to the problems in Chief Mphuka’s area. According to the Chief, inappropriate farming has contributed to climate because people have been cutting down trees. The traditional leader complained that his subjects have contributed to
climate change as they have been cutting down trees mostly for charcoal production without replanting them.
According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Zambia boasts of 44 million
hectares of forests covering 58.7 percent of the total land surface area but the country’s forests are getting
depleted at an alarming annual deforestation rate of 276,021 hectares. These statistics confirms that the challenge of climate change requires all stakeholders to refocus their energies to address the devastating effects ,
which are exacerbating hunger and poverty in various communities. The observation by the traditional leadership that
for the first time, the Luangwa River has starting showing signs of drying up as a result of environmental
degradation caused by the indiscriminate felling of trees is a source of worry as the people in the area depend on
fishing not only for their daily nutritional requirements but also their livelihood. “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” which is the theme for the 2023 World Environment Day , calls for concerted
efforts from Government, Civil Society and all citizens to take affirmative action to reverse the devastating
effects of climate change. We note the announcement by Minister of Green
Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu that Government is considering putting in place laws that will
penalize littering in an effort to promote environmental sustainability. Our prayer is that an effective piece of legislation will be enacted and enforced to the letter so that what is happening in Luangwa does not affect the entire
country and that deliberate policy to replant trees will be sustained for the benefit of the future generations.
