Mukupa Writes

By Linda Mupemo   The Mwomboshi dam was funded by the World Bank Chileleko Choolwe had not spared his sweat cultivating maize this farming season. It was never obvious that the lack of adequate rains would be his worst enemy.  It is now March and clouds of gloom surround Mr. Choolwe; drying and dying crops. He stands by his maize field staring at his near lifeless crops. As he touches their crispy leaves, thoughts of a poor harvest race restlessly through his mind. “My crops are stunted and drying up; I am worried about my harvest. Moreover, I do not have money to buy more farming inputs for replanting,” he laments. Mr. Choolwe is one of the farmers practicing rain-fed agriculture in Chisamba District in Central Province who are grappling with crop failure owing to the poor rainfall pattern.  Since the onset of the 2023/2024 rainy season, the climatic condition of the area has been punctuated with dry spells, signifying adverse effects of climate change.   ...

By Linda Mupemo, Beijing  2024 CIPCC Fellows  As the 2030 agenda for sustainable development deadline draws near, United Nations (UN) member states are intensifying their efforts aimed at achieving the 17 goals. The People's Republic of China is one of the few countries that have achieved Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number one which focuses on eliminating extreme poverty.     China Anti- Poverty Research Institute Professor Wang Sangui states that the Chinese Government succeeded in lifting over 800 million people out of poverty by 2020, ten years ahead of the UN schedule.  The Asian country has equally made headways with the provision of clean and affordable energy, promoting industrialisation,  innovation and quality education among other goals.  Having realised the vital role international cooperation plays in advancing development and global impact, China is strengthening partnerships with various sectors of the international community ...