Transcript Opportunities and Challenges of Mainstreaming Climate Change

Opportunities and Challenges of
Mainstreaming Climate Change into
Agriculture and Natural Resource
Education in Africa
James B. Kung’u1, Aissetou D. Yaye2 and August
B. Temu3
1Department
of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta
University, Kenya.2ANAFE, 3World Agroforestry
Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya
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Introduction
Climate change is one of the most significant
challenges of our time.
 It is adversely affecting practically all economic
sectors.
 Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change.
 Visible impacts have been noticed on different
sectors like water, biodiversity, agriculture,
health and vulnerable ecosystems.
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Many countries are experiencing a number of adverse
climatic hazards including dry spells, seasonal droughts,
intense rainfall, riverine floods and flush floods.
Climate change has become a pressing poverty issue
and could hinder the achievement of the MDGs in many
countries.
Managing climate change requires scaling up efforts on
adaptation and low carbon development.
Addressing climate change requires the urgent
formulation of comprehensive and effective education
policies.
Do African countries have the information they need to
do this?
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There is a need for students to be well versed
with the challenges posed by climate change.
 Students need also to understand the
implications of climate change on economic
development and international trade.
 Educating students on climate change will help
to shape and sustain future policy-making.
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Education, training and Public Awareness on
Climate change
Article 6 of the UNFCCC, on “Education, training and
Public Awareness”, requires Parties to:
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Promote and facilitate at the national and, as
appropriate, sub-regional and regional levels, and in
accordance with national laws and regulations, and
within their respective capacities: 
The development and implementation of educational
and public awareness programs on climate change
and its effects;
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Public access to information on climate change and its
effects;
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Public participation in addressing climate change and
its effects and developing adequate responses; and
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Training of scientific, technical and managerial
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personnel.
Role of Education
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Education can be described as the process of preparing an
individual to become a functional and acceptable member of
society.
There is a strong positive correlation between levels of
education and economic development in a country.
Good education therefore can provide solutions to challenges
of climate change.
Education can play a critical role in preparing and providing
the leadership to meet the challenges of climate change and it
can stimulate sustainable development.
Right education in agriculture and natural resource
management (NRM) in particular is well placed to contribute
to mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
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Current challenges on education in climate change
in Africa.
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There are gaps in knowledge on mitigation and adaptation
strategies on climate change.
The existing knowledge is fragmented and difficult to access
in many African institutions.
It is difficult to assess quality research findings/ information on
climate change for many African education institutions.
There are confusing/conflicting research findings that are
being disseminated on climate change.
Declining funding, deteriorating infrastructure, civil disorder,
and massive expansion of students enrolment at all levels.
Poor staffing of institutions to meet the desired curriculum
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coverage.
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Enormous loss through emigration of talented faculty to
other continents (brain drain).
It is estimated that 23,000 qualified academic
professionals emigrate from Africa each year in search of
better working conditions.
In most cases the farming community is not involved in
the design and delivery of agricultural curricula.
There is absence of Private Sector involvement in the
design and delivery of agricultural curricula
Climate change is not addressed meaningfully in the
formal school and college curricula
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Way Forward
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African educators must take a leading role in assessing
what needs to be done in educational institutions
They must make a significant contribution to providing
solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
The educators must provide: information on climate
change challenges; explore methods of mainstreaming
climate change knowledge into agricultural education;
and identify recommendations on effective policies,
institutions and capacity building.
National and International Research institutions must
share their findings with education sector.
Partnership between education and research institutions
must be built and strengthened.
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Climate change need to be Integrated into the
development agenda, across all sectors and all levels of
government to ensure development policies does not
undermine, but reinforce one another.
Need to review current curricula at all levels to capture the
aspects of climate change.
Climate change curricula can be handled as a separate
subject or infused and integrated into other subjects.
Need to develop and domesticate teaching and learning
materials.
Need for concrete scientific data based on African
experiences to be infused into the curricula.
Need to develop a Web Portal on climate change in Africa
for easy access of information.
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Research
Education
-Curriculum content
-Teaching materials
- Institutional innovation
Society
-Poverty alleviation
- Economic growth
- Mitigation strategies
-Adaptation strategies
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Conclusion
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Climate change has not been addressed meaningfully in
the formal school and college curricula in Africa.
There is need to carry out a training needs assessments
on climate change for different education levels.
There is need to revise and develop curricula for
schools and colleges that incorporate climate change
issues.
Need to develop localised learning materials in both
hand and soft copies e.g. posters, handbooks, CDs,
DVDs, etc for use by students at different education
levels.
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Conclusion
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Need for research institutes to share their research
findings with education sector.
Need to develop climate change training modules for
teachers and tutors, and for other sectors such as
agriculture, industry, forestry, health, water, industries
etc.
Urgent need to integrate climate change into the
curricula whether as a full-fledged course or as a
component within other courses.
The graduates need to have a full grasp of the science of
climate change and its implications on the livelihoods of
the communities.
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AHSANTE SANA
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