Notes to broadcasters
Climate change has quickly become a big threat to our environment and livelihoods. The weather is unpredictable, with rain and drought creating major problems, and humans, animals, and plants are all impacted. In Zambia, food production is affected and hunger and poverty are spreading.
The main cause of climate change is human activity, including fossil fuel use and deforestation. The loss of trees has impaired the natural system of capturing carbon dioxide from the air. The result is an increase in the pace of global warming and the destruction of the ecosystem and biodiversity.
To adapt to the impacts of climate change and address problems of soil erosion and depletion, farmers in Zambia are trying a variety of practices, including using cover crops, agroforestry, and intercropping.
This script is based on interviews with an expert in conservation agriculture who specializes in intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry. We also interviewed a lead farmer and his wife who have been implementing these practices.
You can adapt this script to produce a program on intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry or any other kind of Nature-based solution that is suitable to your particular situation and is being implemented.
You could use this script as a basis for producing a program of your own by:
- Inviting an expert on conservation agriculture to your radio program and discussing the research findings on intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry. Try to find out what agroforestry tree species are recommended in your area.
- Interviewing small-scale farmers who have adopted conservation agriculture and are practicing intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry on their farms. Be sure to give equal space to women’s experiences in all your coverage of farming activities.
Estimated running time for the script: 25 minutes, including intro, outro, music and sound effects.
Script
FILIUS JERE:
Climate change is a very big concern for many people today. Many things, but primarily human activities, cause climate change. However, in a nutshell, people’s reckless handling of the environment is mostly to blame. The use of fossil fuels and deforestation are two of the major causes of climate change, and the impacts on agriculture include soil erosion and degradation, leading to poor yields, household food insecurity, and reduced income.
In our program today, we shall look at how small-scale farmers in Zambia are contributing towards the effort to tackle the impacts of climate change.
We shall interview an agricultural expert and a small-scale farmer and his wife to show that it is possible to address the impacts of climate change by adopting simple farming practices that have been scientifically proved to be effective. Our interviewees are in Choma, a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, and we conducted our interviews by phone, beginning with the agricultural expert.
FILIUS JERE:
My name is Filius Chalo Jere of Breeze FM in Chipata, in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Am I talking to Mr. Maurice Ng’andu? You were identified as an expert on intercropping, cover crops. and agroforestry. Is this correct?
MAURICE Ng’andu:
Yes, my name is Maurice Ng’andu. I am an agricultural extension officer in the Ministry of Agriculture. To a certain extent, yes, I have practical expertise in intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry. I am based at Popota Agricultural Camp in Choma, in the Southern Province of Zambia. This means we are over 900 kilometres from each other.
FILIUS JERE:
Indeed, we are. That is why we are conducting this interview by phone. Please tell me about the farming situation in your area.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
In one word, the Southern Province is the most over-cultivated area in Zambia. The soils are so depleted of crop nutrients that farmers depend heavily on chemical fertilizer.
FILIUS JERE:
But chemical fertilizer is very expensive.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Yes, it is quite unaffordable. That is the reason why I teach my small-scale farmers the simple technologies you have mentioned in order to resuscitate the soil.
FILIUS JERE:
I am preparing a radio program on the benefits of intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry to farmers and the community. I also want to learn about the benefits of these practices to the ecosystem and biodiversity. The role of women in adopting these practices is also very important.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
It is a difficult situation because, as I said, the Southern Province has been farmed repeatedly for many years. This has resulted in heavy deforestation as many trees have been cut to open up farmland. Also, with the coming of towns, charcoal production for domestic fuel has wreaked havoc and many areas are without forests.
FILIUS JERE:
What are the results of these activities?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
There was less tree cover to protect the land from the rains, and so the topsoil that contains important crop nutrients has been washed away. Over the years, the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced simple ways of farming that can improve the soil and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizer. Together, these methods of farming are called conservation agriculture. Intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry are important components of this type of farming.
FILIUS JERE:
What exactly is intercropping?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
This is a way of farming whereby a farmer plants his or her main crop, for instance, maize, in rows. But the farmer also plants a different crop in the spaces between the rows. Another useful practice in the same line is intracropping, where the farmer plants another crop between the maize plants in the same row.
FILIUS JERE:
What are the major advantages of intercropping?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Usually, it is recommended that the second crop be a legume like groundnuts or soybeans. Since legumes add a lot of nitrogen to the soil, crop nutrients will be readily available to the main crop. Sometimes, this means less fertilizer needs to be used on the main crop.
FILIUS JERE:
Quite interesting. Is there any other advantage to this practice?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Yes. Intercropping conserves land for more crops to be planted because, instead of using a separate field for each crop, you put them in one field and create more space for other crops. Also, most legumes have broad leaves and spread on the ground, hence covering the soil and suppressing weeds.
FILIUS JERE:
What about cover crops—what kind of farming method is this?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
The aim of this method is to have a crop that spreads and covers the ground. This reduces soil erosion. With many trees gone, the wind blows freely and without hindrance. As a result, the rain falls violently and the running water washes away a lot of the topsoil. Topsoil is usually rich in humus. Sometimes, it also contains newly applied chemical fertilizer. In an instant, the fertilizer can all get washed away.
In Choma where I work, cowpea is the most popular cover crop because, apart from protecting the ground, it is also very rich in carbohydrates. So it is an important food crop for the people.
FILIUS JERE:
So by planting cowpea, the farmer is actually benefitting in two ways?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Indeed, and this is good for women because it gives them an opportunity to grow traditional crops like pumpkin and groundnuts.
FILIUS JERE:
What about agroforestry? What is it and what role can it play in lessening the impact of climate change?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
In simple terms, agroforestry means including farmer-friendly trees in farming.
FILIUS JERE:
What do you mean by farmer-friendly?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
In the past, farmers used to remove most trees from their fields because they overshadowed their crops and caused stunted and/or etiolated growth. An etiolated plant is one which has grown taller, pale, and weaker due to lack of sunlight. But research has identified certain trees that can be grown together with food crops like maize and sorghum.
FILIUS JERE:
Which ones are highly recommended?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
In Zambia, the most recommended agroforestry trees include
Tephrosia vogelii,
Gliricidia sepium,
Sesbania sesban, and
Faidherbia albida, locally known as
musangu.
FILIUS JERE:
What are the major advantages of these trees?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
These trees are leguminous and produce pods just like beans and groundnuts do. Their leaves are high in nitrogen, which benefits the soil once they are shed.
Faidherbia albida, for example, sheds its leaves in the rainy season, so does not block sunlight from reaching crops. Their roots are also shallow and spread just below the surface of the ground. This increases their capacity to break up the ground so that food crops like maize can reach down with their roots for nutrients and moisture.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
When the trees die, the roots also die and release nitrogen into the soil. When they finally rot down, the resulting humus mixes with the soil and improves its structure and fertility. This also improves the capacity of the soil to retain soil moisture for crops. This moisture helps crops survive during prolonged dry spells.
FILIUS JERE:
This sounds fascinating. I wish I could talk to farmers who are implementing these technologies.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Your wish is easily satisfied because we have a number of farmers practicing conservation farming in Popota farm block. I can place a call to one of my more successful farmers. He and his wife are our focal persons. We use some of their fields as demonstration plots during open farmer days.
FILIUS JERE:
What is his name and that of his wife?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
His name is Gabriel Katembo and his wife is Patricia. They have been collaborating with us for over ten years now.
FILIUS JERE:
Please introduce me to them so that we start the interview.
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Twamutambula batata baGabriel abamama baPatricia. Hena tutalike kwambaula?
FILIUS JERE:
(INTERRUPTING) What is that now?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
I have just greeted the farmer and his wife in their own language as an ice breaker. Otherwise, the two can speak English. They are ready for your questions.
FILIUS JERE:
Mr. Katembo, my name is Filius Chalo Jere from Chipata, Eastern Province. I produce a weekly radio program called
Farming is a Business. I am grateful that you and your wife have agreed to be interviewed about how you practice intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry on your farm.
GABRIEL KATEMBO:
Yes, it’s the only way we can help our fellow farmers to know that there are simple but effective ways of dealing with poor crop yields due to climate change.
FILIUS JERE:
What do you know about climate change?
GABRIEL KATEMBO:
Enough to know that it is possible to reduce its impact on our farming. We know that we human beings are to blame because of our greed and carelessness. So we must try to correct what we have destroyed.
FILIUS JERE:
What exactly have we destroyed?
GABRIEL KATEMBO:
We have cut down almost all the trees in order to expand our fields or to make charcoal. In so doing, we have disturbed the climate and the rainfall pattern. We must try to reverse this.
FILIUS JERE:
Maurice, as the expert and person promoting conservation programs in your area, do you think intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry can reverse climate change?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Maybe not completely because farming is not the only culprit here. Over the last 200 years, there has been a big increase in commercial logging and industrial emissions from mining, manufacturing, and transportation. This has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere and resulted in global warming and climate change. These practices are aimed at reversing the negative impact of climate change on farming.
FILIUS JERE:
Gabriel, have you noticed any improvements to your farming since you started practicing intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry?
GABRIEL KATEMBO:
Yes, the quality of my soil has improved because of the leguminous crops and trees. This has resulted in increased yields. Further, I don’t use as much chemical fertilizer as before in my fields. And it is also no longer necessary to cut down more trees in order to open up new fields.
FILIUS JERE:
I am aware that you work with your wife, Patricia. How do you help in this, Patricia?
KATEMBO:
I am equally involved in all aspects of farming here. However, certain things are done by my husband while others are done by my children and myself. For instance, we sometimes dig up anthill soil to spread in the field in order to improve the quality of our soil. My husband digs up the soil and transports it to our field while I and the children spread out the soil. Also, my husband yokes the oxen and makes the planting furrows while I and the children sow the seeds.
FILIUS JERE:
But how does adopting intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry help you?
KATEMBO:
These technologies are very good for us women because traditionally, the land belongs to the men. So the decision of what crops must be grown, where they may be grown, and on how much land has always been the prerogative of men. Unfortunately, many men prefer cash crops. When crops are ready for sale, some of them do not want women to be involved in the market. This leads to unfair sharing of income.
Women, on the other hand, are more inclined towards household food security and grow food crops like cowpeas, groundnuts, and common beans. Unfortunately, our men will only allow that on leftover pieces of land.
However, we are now able to plant most of our crops as intercrops or cover crops. Because of this, there has been an increase in the cultivation of so-called women’s crops. This has resulted in improved nutrition in the family.
FILIUS JERE:
What about the benefits from agroforestry?
KATEMBO:
Nothing could have been more welcome. If you happen to come to our area, you will be shocked because most of the trees are gone. It may mean something bigger at a higher level. But for us women, it means no fuelwood for cooking. Agroforestry has brought trees like Gliricidia and
musangu. These are now our main sources of fuelwood.
FILIUS JERE:
If I may talk to you now, Maurice, what exactly are the benefits of intercropping, cover crops and agroforestry to the ecosystem and to biodiversity?
MAURICE NG’ANDU:
Collectively and individually, the benefits are quite significant. However, the overlying goal is to replenish the earth with greenery. This will increase carbon capture and check climate change, which is tied to global warming.
FILIUS JERE:
I must thank you, Maurice, and you, too Mr. and Mrs. Katembo for sharing this important information on intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry.
Climate change is a global challenge which requires the whole world to tackle it together.
My name is Filius Chalo Jere. I urge you to think deeply about climate change and biodiversity in order to save our world! And farmers, please consider using practices such as intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry. These will not only help us adapt to and possibly even reduce the impacts of climate change, but also feed our family and improve our livelihoods.
Acknowledgements
Contributed by: Filius Chalo Jere, Producer, Farming is a Business, Breeze FM, Chipata, Zambia
Reviewed by: Morton Mwanza, Acting Chief Vegetables and Floricultural Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Crops Production Branch, Lusaka, Zambia.
