By TerraViva Reporters*

Farmers need help to prosper: but what kind of help? Credit: FISD/IPS

DURBAN, Dec 8 – (TerraViva) Global warming poses a threat to the livelihoods of millions of people who work the land; it is a critical issue for Africa’s climate change agenda. Campaigners agree that changing weather patterns and higher temperatures could spell disaster, but they are arguing for two contrasting responses here at the U.N. climate conference in Durban. Continue Reading

By Khanyi Xulu – Genuine Media*

DURBAN, Dec 8 – (TerraViva) “One mosquito can’t do anything against a rhino, but a thousand mosquitos together can make a rhino change its direction,” said Kjell Kuhne of Global Plan Foundation under the Plant For The Planet Academy. Continue Reading

By Happy Ntsanwisi – Nthavela Newspaper*

DURBAN, Dec 6 – (TerraViva) A just-published study of trends in temperature, rainfall, droughts and flooding in the Sahel region of West Africa over the past 40 years provides further evidence of the threat posed by climate. Continue Reading

By Andre Marais – Amandla Magazine*

DURBAN, Dec 7 – (TerraViva) At several sites across Southern Africa, school children are learning the principles of permaculture, a set of agricultural techniques which avoids disturbing the soil, instead keeping it covered with mulch to preserve water and fertility. TerraViva encountered a group of these children who were lucky enough to visit the U.N. climate conference along with two of their trainers. Continue Reading

Kofi Annan says lack of funds must not hold back the fight against climate change. Credit: Zuki Zimela/IPS

By Busani Bafana

Durban, Dec. 7 — The global financial crunch is not a reason to avoid climate-friendly investments that will help Africa’s agriculture grow says former UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan.

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By Henrietta Mongalo – Ngulunews Community Paper*

DURBAN, Dec 7 – (TerraViva) Agriculture is the sector worst affected by climate change and various farmers’ groups are here at the global climate conference in Durban, to make sure that their issues are not left out. Continue Reading

Khanyisa Sinqe – Zithethele Community Newspaper*

Women from the Eastern Cape at the Rural Women's Assembly. Credit: Khanyisa Sinqe/TerraViva

The women – including farm workers, farm owners, and farm dwellers from inside South Africa, and as far away as Zimbabwe and Malawi, Kenya and Senegal – were not accredited participants in the air-conditioned venue in the city centre.

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By Phumza Sithole – Rainbow News*

DURBAN, Dec 5 – (TerraViva) “Durban is green! I can see it!” exclaimed Nomasikizi Khonza, Mayor of Amathole Municipality in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Continue Reading

Busani Bafana interviews to KANAYO F. NWANZE, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 4 (IPS) – The combined effects of ballooning populations, poor productivity and threatened water resources present fresh pressures on agriculture to deliver food, money and livelihoods in Africa.

The food system needs urgent reform in the face of climate change which accelerating the speed of change on the farms and on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

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Cebile Dlamini and Bethusile Dlamini

Land activists Cebile Dlamini and Bethusile Dlamini from the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly in Manzini Village are attending the C17 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Their motto is “Guardians of Land, life and love”. Mongalo Henrietta (Ngulunews, Sekhukhune, Limpopo) and Phumza Sithole (Rainbow News, Butterworth , Eastern Cape) spoke to them.

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