Development worker answers all your questions
29 July 2010
Got a question about the reality of climate change right now?
Want to know what hope there is for the UN processes this year?
Want to share something you've been up to?
Innocent Ogaba, a Progressio development worker who works for Environment Africa, is red hot on agriculture, ecology, food, climate change and development and will be answering your questions this week en route to the Bonn UN climate talks.
Just post a comment below and your question will be answered!
Comments
Hi Innocent
Whenever I go food shopping I am faced with a moral dilema - Do I buy local to reduce green house gasses or do I buy from developing countries to support communities in the South.
I would love to know your thoughts
Graham
Hi Graham,
I understand your dilemma - it's a catch 22 situation. On the one hand, we want to help small-holder farmers and on the other we need to reduce greenhouse gases.
One option is to transport goods by sea. Especially if we are talking about dry or non-perishable produce.
But, I dont think air transport is ever going to realistically stop due to climate change. People will always travel.
Instead, airline companies should offset their carbon emissions by paying into a special fund - and countries like Malawi could use that money to help small-scale farmers adapt to the effects of climate change.
Thanks for your question!
Innocent
In buying products from developing countries, I'd like to think that the growers are not going without in order to sell for export. Can you assure us that the farmers you help keep enough back to feed themselves and their families?
Thanks,
Denise
Hi Denise,
It's a good point and that is a dilemma in some instances. In our work in Malawi we always make sure we are looking at both sides of the picture - food security and income security.
One of the ways to make sure there is a balance is by engaging with the private companies who are buying the sorghum or grain the farmers are producing.
We explain to the companies that families are only selling half of what they produce - and we make sure there are market guidelines in place to stop buyers from purchasing the entire harvest.
Usually, if a woman is in charge of the family there is more control - and they keep back food for the family - but sometimes if it's a man they can end up selling everything!
It's a cultural thing, as the man you're supposed to be in charge. It's not a blanket issue, and it's quite rare, but it does happen.
Hope that answers your question,
Innocent
Dear Innocent
Great and thanks for focusing your response to poor farmers of Malawi who sometimes due to high poverty levels even sell their crops to middle men before harvest time. Malawi farmers, especially small holder farmers lack profitable market opportunities for surplus production, farmers often lack incentives and the capacity to invest in crop production technologies, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Your approach to engage with buyers to promote both food and income security is vital for Malawi's poverty reduction strategy and I hope it is the reality on the ground.
Thanks and all the best in Germany.
Hello Innocent,
What are your expectations for the climate talks in Bonn? Are you hopeful?
Do the communities you work with in Malawi feel intouch with the international talks taking place, and if so, was there dissapointment and frustration following Copenhagen last year?
It would be really great to hear your thoughts and about how the people most effected by climate change feel about the political process and what it really means to them.
Thanks so much,
Pamela
Hi Pamela,
Yes I am hopeful! On the first day of the talks there was a lot of scepticism - people saw this as more of the same, they said the process was dragging on and nothing was changing.
Now, a few days later, the tone is changing. People are really saying they have to make some decisions. Even the US and EU delegations have started to change their positions a bit and they want to see some progress!
Thanks for your question,
Innocent
Hello Innocent,
Do you think the carbon you emitted getting to the talks will be worth the outcome?
Good luck. You'll need it.
Harris
Hi Harris,
Thank you for your question - it's a good one!
What I can say is that if there is progress up to Cancun in terms of nailing down progress on the key issues of mitigation, adaptation to climate change and the transfer of finance (or funding) to enable poor countries to begin to come up with solutions to help them cope with the effects of climate change - all of which is very relevant to the small-holders I work with - then it will be worth it!
I came to Bonn by train from London to try and reduce my emissions and if there was a train to Bonn all the way from Malawi, I would have got that too!
Thanks for taking the time to write to me,
Innocent