From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the severe impacts of climate change have been felt on a global scale. As an initiative to counter the effects of carbon dioxide and climate change for the future generations, governments have seen the need for the reclamation and rehabilitation of degraded landscapes and forest resources to be protected and sustainably managed as they play a critical role in the regulation of atmospheric conditions.
Most reforestation and afforestation interventions by many governments, for instance the Zimbabwean government, rely on exotic species and their use in the afforestation programmes date back to 100 years. However according to several scientific studies, these trees have proven to possess a series of traits typical of invasive species which include fast growth, high root competitiveness and alteration of ecosystem dynamics which appear to be detrimental to biodiversity. These tree species include the well-known Eucalyptus trees and Tree of heaven.
Scientific research has brought to light that the introduction of exotic invasive tree species results in migration of animal species, large scale tree mortality and the replacement of once dominant native tree species thereby weakening ecosystems.
Therefore as an initiative, governments ought to shift from the use of exotic tree in their afforestation schemes to favoring the indigenous tree species instead.
“Climate Change is no longer a doomsday prophecy, but it’s a reality”
Astrid Noklebye Heiberg.
For the past year, Zimbabwe’s food shortage crisis has escalated drastically and according to the United Nations (UN), has affected more than two million people in the country. It has been established that this crisis is as a result of climate change. The sporadic rainfall patterns and extremely high temperatures have plunged Zimbabwe into a drought induced food crisis. Once a bread basket of Africa, Zimbabwe is now derisively being labelled an empty basket case.
In its efforts to mitigate against the effects of climate change, the Zimbabwean government initiated some tree planting schemes way back in 2010, however these efforts have not made much of a difference as evidenced by the unrelenting drought and deforestation occasioned by the wanton cutting down of trees.
There is now
a need for the Zimbabwean government to embark on a paradigm shift of adopting and
embracing new technologies in order to effectively contribute towards environmental
friendly practices thereby improving the global climatic conditions.
One such perfect solution in this case would be to adopt and embrace Drone technologies.
WHY DRONES?
DRONES ARE IMPECCABLE DATA COLLECTORS
Drones are very ideal for real-time data collection for monitoring and mapping purposes, for example these machines can be used for monitoring air quality, water quality and also deforestation rates.
Because of their highly sophisticated sensors, coupled with their ability to travel to places which are inaccessible to people,the data collected has higher accuracy in contrast to human research modalities. For instance, Drone Technology has enabled Auckland Council in New Zealand, to obtain highly accurate water quality monitoring data quicker and cheaper than conventional methods.
Photo by Erick Otieno from Pexels
DRONES ARE VERY EFFECTIVE AT TREE PLANTING
Drones also play a role that goes beyond monitoring the earth’s system. Due to their agility and mobility which is in greater contrast to manual labour, they provide an even faster and convenient way of planting trees. They therefore can be employed in afforestation and reforestation initiatives. This can be achieved by deploying the drones to fire the seed missiles in areas where trees are not growing and in a matter of minutes, hundreds of potential trees would be planted.
Trees naturally aid in the removal of a greenhouse gas called carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere. So by adopting drone technology, there will be an increase in the removal of carbon dioxide thus leading to the stabilisation of climatic conditions.
Focus in the Future
The Zimbabwe government adopting Drone Technology would be the beginning of a brilliant way to empowering our country in its fight against climate change.
I believe that it is time for us to embrace this new technology like what New Zealand, Australia and other countries have done.
Because Drone technology knows no Bounds!
Student at University of Zimbabwe Intern GIS technician at Scout Aerial Africa Environmentalist
The global climatic changes are surely upon us. The weather patterns have drastically changed. The rainfall patterns have been greatly affected across the African continent and beyond.Zimbabwe as a country has been greatly affected as it has always been traditionally an agricultural based economy.My rural village – Chakohwa – which is based in Mutare in Manicaland Province has not been spared either. Hunger and food insecurity are stalking every household in the community.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
My father who is a budding entrepreneur is toying around with the idea of starting a fish farming business in the village. Being an environmentalist myself, I have advised him to broaden his farming ecosystem by including a plantation of fruit trees instead of going for the traditional crops like maize, sorghum and rapoko which are presently being affected by the changing weather conditions.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
I have come out with a complete farming ecosystem blue print. Firstly his pilot project would include initially constructing 4 fish ponds in the yard. Secondly he will plant fruit trees like mango, peaches, orange, lemon, apples, avocados, guava, and banana among others. Indigenous fruit trees like mutamba, muzhanje, munyii among others would also be brought into the equation. My father would then take advantage of the manure from his cattle and goat pens to act as natural fertilisers for the fish in his ponds with some being put on his trees. The water to irrigate his trees will flow through the outlets of his fish ponds.
REPLICATION.
Ultimately, the idea is to replicate this pilot project throughout the village for a start riding on the availability of water from the nearby Odzi River. This initiative will be beneficial to the community as the fruits from the trees will supplement their dietary and vitamin requirements as well as financially though selling of excess fruits to other people in the community and beyond.
MINI GARDENS
Mini gardens can also be included in the equation as well using the shade provided by the trees to reduce the rate of evaporation.
EMPLOYMENT
The added benefit to this whole idea is to sustainably create self-employment for the community whilst creating food security for the populace in the process.
GREEN REVOLUTION
The replication of this idea throughout the village and beyond will assist in greening the environment and conservation of trees thereby creating a rich biodiversity of plant and animal life which will ultimately benefit the community and the global climatic conditions.
About 40 years ago, James Ephraim Lovelock – an English Scientist, Futurist and Environmentalist formulated the Gaia hypothesis that postulated how the climate would change with time as a result of human activities on the environment. True to his prediction, the global village is currently experiencing possibly the worst climatic catastrophes ever known to mankind as a result of changes in the weather patterns.This article seeks to analyse the link between the effects of human activities and their impact on the environment and the subsequent change in the global climate currently being experienced. Furthermore, this paper also attempts to interrogate the origin and effects of tropical Cyclone Idai – arguably one of the worst climatic catastrophes that extensively ravaged and decimated parts of Southern Africa in March 2019.
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
According to IPCC (2007), climate change means change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. These extreme changes in the climate system have been deduced by scientists to be mainly as a result of human activities on the Earth System which have in turn led to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
INFLUENCE OF HUMANS
Since the start of the Industrialization period, human beings have been negatively affecting the global climatic system. Global atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane have all risen significantly over the last few hundred years since Industrial Revolution (1800). All these greenhouse gases have doubled ever since the pre-industrial period and according to the IPCC report of 2013, these increases have been as a result of human activities such as agriculture and the use of fossil fuel.
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Changes in the climatic variables has resulted in the increase of air and ocean temperatures which has led to rising sea levels, drought (figure 1) , melting ice and snow in the Polar Regions, changes in rainfall patterns, flooding and also catastrophic weather events such as cyclones.
Figure 1: Image by andreas160578 from Pixabay
RUMOUR HAS IT…………………
According to scientists, Cyclone Idai that hit some parts of Southern Africa (Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe) was as a result of climate change. It left more than 1000 people dead in its wake, close to a million people displaced and unaccounted for, infrastructure worth millions of dollars destroyed, most domesticated animals dead and crops totally written off. Water borne diseases like cholera and typhoid were also reported as well as pests and rodents which descended and caused havoc on the spared crop fields thereby further compounding the food security situation in the affected countries.
HOW TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE
Worldwide, most countries have now introduced ways to mitigate against adverse climatic variations and deterioration (variables from alternating) by promulgating laws and regulations which aim to decrease the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by severely punishing unfriendly environmental behaviour and activities there-to. In Zimbabwe the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe (FCZ), Department of national Parks (DNP) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) are all agents that assist in the enforcement of the country’s environmental laws. The Ministry of Agriculture through its Agritex Officers stationed in the rural areas of Zimbabwe also help mainly subsistence farmers with sustainable methods of agriculture which are all environmental friendly.
However, enforcement of these laws and regulations have not brought the level of satisfaction to environmental conservation efforts as evidenced by rampant cutting down of trees, deforestation, land degradation, river and dam siltation through stream bank cultivation, uncontrolled veld fires, heavy reliance on fossil fuels in manufacturing industries and motor vehicles .
It is thus high time that African Governments – with Zimbabwe in particular, invested in innovative technologies to complement the measures they currently have in place to assist in environmental conservation which will in turn positively impact the global climatic conditions. Zimbabwe can therefore adopt the use of drones (figure 2) which can help in monitoring and quantification of levels of dangerous gases in the atmosphere as well as track how much gases industries are releasing into the atmosphere.
Figure 2: Image by Pexels from Pixabay
The drones can also be deployed and used to monitor mining and farming activities in selected areas so as to ascertain that no illegal activities are being practised by individuals and companies. Meanwhile some parts of Midlands and Mashonaland provinces are slowly turning into deserts due to rampant cutting down of trees for firewood and tobacco drying whilst Chiadzwa village in Marange (Manicaland) has been turned upside down due to disorderly methods of mining diamonds. Drones would therefore – after being deployed – bring relevant information in terms of reports and statistical data real time to the relevant stakeholders (as amplified above) who can then be in a position to timeously act upon the same without any further delays or prejudice to the environment
TheEnvironmentalists 