FAO KIROKASCRIPT (6min51sec)
Adaptation to climate change through land and water management
(Start with shots symbolic to climate change (heat wave, scorching sun, time lapse of clouds etc.)
VOICE OVER:
Human beings have always depended on nature’s biodiversity for survival, but climate change has left a large scaron the ecosystem.Kiroka village in southernTanzania is suffering the consequences.
Interview: Asha Ramadhani Bogati.(Resident Kiroka village)
(Day 3, Card 2, FAO-TZ0834-0844)
I came to Kiroka in 1982. The climate was very good. If you saw clouds it was going to rain. Our summers were fine, trees gave usshade, and there were no floods ordrought. But now as we see, there is no certainty about rainfall.
VOICE OVER:
Kiroka village is home to nearly 6,000 people, most of who depend onagriculture for their livelihoods. With climate change compounding the existing challenges of, soil erosion, deforestation, and population growth, it was time for intervention.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Tanzanian ministry of Agriculture food security and cooperatives and Sokoine university of Agriculture (SUA),started training farmers and developing systems of agriculture to enhance sustainable land use and water management.
Interview: Diana E. Tempelman (FAO Representative in Tanzania)
The vision of FAO aims to work together with local populations on how best to adapt current practices and how best to identify crop varieties which are suitable for drier circumstances in the country, so it is very much a participatory approach with the local communities.
VOICE OVER:
At the heart of climate change is water, which is increasingly scarce. Kiroka Irrigation Scheme, supported by FAO and SUA, has an area of about 147 hectares, but only 80 hectares are productive during the rainy season.
Most of this area is under rice production, using a new method calledthe System of Rice intensification (SRI) Unlike the conventional method of continuous flooding of paddy fields, SRI involves intermittent wetting and drying of paddies. Once a paddy has enough water it is released for use in the next paddy. Specific soil and agronomic management practices are also used.
Interview: Prof. Henry Mahoo.
Basically the principles include transplanting very young seedling of 8-14days old. These are very young but also wide spacing. From one seedling to another is around 25cm.
Interview: Salma Asumani Muzeri(Beneficiary SRI)
We are using a limited amount of water and we are all receiving it. We are able to get higher yields from the SRI system of farming.
As a widow and a mother of three, I farm and from the yields I get enough to feed my children, educate them and give them better health care. They are well provided for.
VOICE OVER:
Soil erosion is anotherproblem, especially in the highlands, where land was left bare by increased agricultural practices.
Interview: Rajabu Omari (Beneficiary, contour farming)
We were taught about contours and how to measure contours, how to plant bananas , in order to strengthen the contours. The experts gave us pineapples seeds that we planted on the contours, so that soil will not be carried by the rain.
VOICE OVER:
Firewood is the main source of energy for cooking in Kiroka,but Traditional stoves use large amounts of firewood leading to great deforestation. Following the introduction of energy saving stoves as part of the project,tree cutting has been reduced by 80%.
Interview: Teresia Kisaveri a resident of Kiroka
The energy saving stove has really helped me, it does not use a lot of firewood, cooks very fast and it keeps the food warm."
VOICE OVER:
With the energy saving stoves, firewood that lasted for a week now lasts for a month.
VOICE OVER:
Tree nurseries were established in Kiroka village to help createwoodlots, conserve water sources and for economic purposes.
Interview: Salman Salehe lisinga(Beneficiary tree nurseries)
After training we startedtree nurseries and later transplant the seedlings to the farmsand areas without trees
Trees have very many benefits.Shade, reducing heat and also later you will harvest the tree. I may not enjoy the benefits but my children will enjoy them.
VOICE OVER:
The tree-planting project was also introduced in schools.
Interview: Salama Mohamed Sengo (Deputy head teacher, Kiroka primary)
In class we explain to our pupils what environment is and when we go out we explain to them in action how to plant trees and the benefit of planting trees. We get fruits, we get timber, which we sell, and also we use,for construction. From this sale we earn something that helps us run the school.
VOICE OVER:
All these diversified interventions,are helping this community as they adaptto climate change.
Interview: Prof. Henry Maho
The interventions which we implemented here are climate smart Agriculture. Where by we are addressing productivity, we are addressing adaptation; resilience and also we are addressing mitigation.
Interview:Moorine- FAO Representative
Because it was participatory from the beginning we wanted to ensure that they understood, first of all because that was more important, the understanding of what the effects would be in years to come and how they could try to address it now and start working with it for the next generation.
VOICE OVER:
Climate-smart agriculture is boosting food security, improving soil fertility, better water management and resilience.
And this means a brighter future for the people of Kiroka village.
Interview: Salman Salehe lisinga (tree planting beneficiary)
We are thankful for the training as it has given us motivation and understanding to working in this field and not just for this period only, such that when we transplant these trees then that will be the end. Our plan is to own large pieces of land with trees.
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