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Yvonne Ncube, Chronicle Reporter

THE Government has reiterated commitment towards programmes aimed at ending desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) as the country joined the rest of the world in commemoration of the world day to combat desertification and drought last Thursday.

The country continues to contribute to fighting land degradation and produces a national report with up-to-date information on measures taken to address DLDD.

In a virtual speech the Minister of environment, climate, tourism and hospitality industry, Nqobizitha Managaliso Ndhlovu said: “Zimbabwe as a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification continues to actively participate in programmes related to Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought (DLDD). These include the drought initiative, voluntary land degradation neutrality target setting and the (3S) Initiative “Sustainability, Stability and Security.”

“Zimbabwe also continues to contribute to global status on land degradation through the provision of a national reports with up-to-date information on measures the country takes to address DLDD within the UNCCD strategic 2018-2030 framework, implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular (SDG) indicator 15,” said Min Ndhlovu.

He said an estimated 35percent of the country’s land area is affected by degradation, while drought is recorded as the most common and recurring natural disaster since 1992.

“In the last two decades, the country experienced extreme weather conditions leading to acceleration of land degradation. In response to the DLDD challenge, Zimbabwe has actively programmed national interventions to avoid, reduce and restore degraded landscapes with commendable support (Technical and Financial) from the UNCCD Secretariat co-financed with its own resources.

“However, there are programmes in place for combating desertification, land degradation and drought in the country. Zimbabwe has not been spared from the Covid-19 pandemic just like any other nation. The recovery strategies for the country have been put in place under the new National Development Strategy 1 (NDS-1, 2021 – 2025), our first national five- year strategy which fits well with Agenda 2030 and United Nations decade on Ecosystems’ restoration,” he said.

Min Ndhlovu said the country has set targets of restoring over one million hectares of degraded wetlands and reducing total national burnt area to below one million hectares each year.

“The National Development Strategy 1 elevates the discourse of DLDD, biodiversity improvement and creation of community resilience to effects of climate change. Zimbabwe committed itself to the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting process in 2018, and did set the targets which have since been mainstreamed into the National Development Strategy1 (2021 to 2025).”

“As a strategic measure to support DLDD programmes in the country, there has been progressive reviews and upgrading of national environmental policies and legislation across sectors which relate to desertification, land degradation and drought mitigation, particularly in the environment, energy and agricultural sectors.”

“The country is implementing a number of national programmes as part of the local action to support the UNCCD strategy 2018 to 2030. Some of the programmes include drought mitigation through adoption of conservation agriculture, renewable energy, and poverty alleviation programme for provision of alternative livelihoods aimed at relieving pressure on natural resources, promotion of circular economy to reduce degradation of landscape by solid waste among others,” said Minister Ndhlovu.

He said Zimbabwe has pledged a restoration commitment of two million hectares of land under afforestation, a programme being supported implemented under the national tree planting project.

“Zimbabwe stands ready to learn from other nations on the strategies for accessing the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund which was operationalized in December 2018. It is our hope that the LDN fund support framework will be reviewed to make it more friendly to land restoration so that it contributes to improved livelihoods through decent job creation and gender equality.”

“Our country has observed that there is limited capacity in generation and use of national data especially on land productivity and soil organic carbon. It is our hope that increased support to this area will be availed under the convention to ensure that nations create standardized national data for the quantitative mapping of land productivity and soil carbon content for the assessment, monitoring and reporting of land degradation to parties,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the United Nations, UNCCD Global mechanism, Global Environment Facility, UNEP and other partners for their support to Zimbabwe in the fight against land degradation.

“I also want to express my gratitude to fellow regional African member states for the collaboration in a number of international, regional and sub regional programmes we have jointly implemented. As a country we renew our commitment to the Convention to combat Desertification, land degradation and drought,” said Min Ndhlovu.-@SeehYvonne