Farmers are trying to catch all the rainwater they possibly can in Mauritius. Credit: Nasseem Ackbarally/IPS

The Mauritian Government is offering a grants to farmers and breeders willing to set up structures to collect rainwater in their fields. IPS reporter Nasseem Ackbarally says this is due to water shortages attributable to climate change.

Mauritius watercress farmers wait for water. Credit: Nasseem Ackbarally/IPS

Watercress farmers in Mauritius are finding it difficult to keep their activity going after sixty years because of a lack of water. Nasseem Ackbarally reports that 30 families working on one of the biggest watercress farm in the island can no longer cultivate watercress because there is no water in their pond.

Rain in Johannesburg. Credit: Tinus de Jager/IPS

The Department of Water Affairs in South Africa wants its early warning system on flooding to work in rural areas and says education is the way to go. Zukiswa Zimela reports.

Podcast by Catherine Wilson on Bougainville’s New Dawn community radio station which broadcasts to to nearly 50,000 listeners in Papua New Guinea.
 

Southern Africa has had more than its average rainfall since November of 2011 and forecasters are predicting even more rain until the end of March. But, as Tinus de Jager reports, it seems as if this rain is not benefitting the smaller farmers of the region.

Rapid urbanisation in South Africa is affecting the water quality of  the river systems.
 

South Africa wants to promote the use of breast milk across the country and big strides have been made in the KwaZulu-Natal province in taking formula off the shelves in primary health care clinics. Zukiswa Zimela looks at the pro’s and con’s of this step.
 

Tropical storm Giovanna is expected to hit the Inhambane coast  of Mozambique on Friday night with wind gusts hitting maximum speeds of 100-150 km per hour.

Ghana’s airwaves are abuzz with tension between community radio and the communication authority.

When a financial crisis threatened the existence of Africa’s oldest community station, Bush Radio, an outpouring of sympathy and appeals went viral on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. However, despite this outspoken support that showed that the station is worth saving, its future remains uncertain.

Uganda’s Radio Mega FM’s transmission tower serves as a memorial to community peace efforts.

Civil Society organisations are sticking to their guns: Women will be hardest hit by the climate change. Zuki Zimela reports.

Protest at the ICC in Durban. Credit: Tinus de Jager/IPS

During the second and final week of climate change negotiations at COP 17 in Durban, Civil Society is calling for more commitment to fighting global carbon emissions. Zukiswa Zimela reports from the ICC.

Hans-Holger Rogner of the IAEA

More than 190 countries have sent delegates to Durban, South Africa, to take part in COP 17 and thrash out a new deal on energy and climate change. One of the options to reduce carbon emissions, however unpopular, is nuclear power. Tinus de Jager asked Hans-Holger Rogner, of International Atomic Energy Agency, about the current negative global attitude towards atomic energy.

Women coffee growers speak to Martha Nyambura about the impact of climate change on their production.