Beverly Bizeki
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ambassador Raphael Tayerera Faranisi has made a special appeal to the media to play watchdog role in bringing concerned parties to account of their actions for the success of the programme.
Faranisi made the appeal at the inception programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF 7) held at Great Zimbabwe Hotel on October 12 where he was representing Minister of Environment Climate Tourism and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu.
“I have a special appeal to the media, we have stated the outcomes expected of this programme, hold us to account, follow up on the commitments that are coming here, get us to talk about it so that the community knows. It’s not about the provinces benefitting but the people, so bring us to account when we fail,” said Faranisi.
He urged the media to play its watchdog role to ensure that resources mobilized for the programme are not abused.
“If there are any resources being abused, tell the public, tell those who are concerned so that we tear the line. This is the Second Republic and we have to deliver,” he added.
Faranisi also suggested that the stirring committee takes on board representatives from the media to ensure that the message of the programme gets through to people.
“I suggest that the media be part of the stirring committee. If they are not there, nothing will come out. It would be useful to have the media on the committee, I am aware of the fact that we do not need a very unwieldy structure but I think it’s very important to have representatives of the media because if the message does not get through, we are all under the bus,” said Faranisi.
The programme that calls for a cross sector approach supporting the mainstreaming of sustainable forest and land management to enhance to ecosystem resilience for improved livelihoods in the Save and Runde Catchments of Zimbabwe is being financed to the tune of US $10 433945 with another US $60 691 231 in co- financing from other partners implementing projects in the same area.
The objective of the Zimbabwe project is to promote sustainable management of Miombo and Mopane production landscapes in Save and Runde sub-basins following a Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) approach.
The initiative is meant to support a cross-sector approach which will result in mainstreaming of sustainable forest and land management to enhance ecosystem resilience for improved livelihoods in the Save and Runde Catchments of Zimbabwe.
The event was attended by Patrice Talla the Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Food and Agricultural Organizatisation representatives and directors from the three provinces in which the project will be implemented which are Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands.
The issue of land degradation is of great concern with Zimbabwe having an estimated 36percent of the country being considered degraded and in need of urgent rehabilitation.
The project is part of a global Sustainable Forest Management Impact Programme on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes in eleven countries which is being led by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
The project once completed is expected to have 2 150 ha of land restored, have 172 540 ha of landscapes under improved practices, 1.26 million metric tons of CO2e greenhouse gas emissions mitigated and have 15 000 direct beneficiaries with at least 52 percent being women.
