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Green Economy and Environment Minister, Collins Nzovu, says alternative livelihoods among people is critical in the mitigation of climate change.
He said this during his visit to Tewete Women’s Group in Chimpagali District in Eastern Province on Monday.
The group was established in 2014 with the aim of empowering women with alternative sources of income to reduce deforestation which is high in the province and improve their income levels.
Chipangali District in Eastern Province is one of the districts that has benefited from the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Projects (ZIFLP).
“I am very happy about the fish project implemented by the women and such alternative sources of income should be scaled up in other provinces to help reduce deforestation rate in the country which is high at the rate of 275,000 hectares per annum,” Nzovu said.
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He called upon the beneficiaries of the project to use money wisely by investing in productive ventures and form cooperatives so that they can benefit from government empowerment programmes.
He further informed the beneficiaries that his Ministry would engage the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to inquire on the possibility of acquiring a bigger portion of land to increase the number of fish ponds as the existing land is too small for any further expansion.
The Minister said the Tewete Women Group Fisheries Group will contribute to the reduction in charcoal burning and reduce deforestation and forestry degradation in the Province.
And Chipangali District Commissioner, Paul Sakala, noted that the lives of people, especially women had improved in the area and more projects should be rolled out in the district to benefit more people.
Meanwhile, Council Chairperson, Maxwell Nkhoma acknowledged the efforts government was doing to alleviate poverty levels in the province.
Since then government through the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment has been funding the Club and various projects have been implemented.
The latest project to be implemented is fish farming.
The Women’s Club harvested fish for sale from the three fish ponds they constructed with the help from Government through the ZIFLP Project.
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