Hotstuff Chillout Diary

The paradox of climate change impact on African societies.

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:21:31 +0000

In the tropics especially here in Uganda, the climate conditions are either dry or wet depending on the season. Since many of African societies are agricultural and illiterate, seasonal changes have since time immemorial been predicted in a rudimentary way through prediction of seasons. For a very long time farmers have been able to forecast weather changes without use of any modern equipment. This has been done through listening to some birds which sing only in anticipation of rain as well as studying some plant species. However all this is fading away slowly as the predictions have proved unworthy. Rains which used to last for months now last for days or weeks if it happens to rain at all. This has proved disastrous with little or no harvests, causing a lot of misery. Rain means a lot to poor rural communities, forinstance it’s when people know the right time to plant crops as well as anticipating the time of harvesting. This has been very crucial to these communities as they would even at times sell their crops in the gardens for school fees of their children as well as income to run the daily needs of their families. Ultimately, many school going children are dropping out to start looking for work or get married in case of girls. This has inevitably increased the rate of poverty despite the United Nations effort through the millennium development goals. In most communities, man power is basically offered by children, in fact it is seen as a privilege to have many of them specifically for making a firm family. Whereas going to school is important, family issues take priority and hence with the increased climate change problem, the number of school dropouts is on the rise. It is true that we all benefit from our climate, however the groups that entirely depend on it are in the greatest danger. Unbelievably the backbone of most African economies is agriculture Uganda inclusive. This means that if no any other source of livelihood is obtained, thousands of millions of people will end up in catastrophe. In reality, it is no longer easy for the communities to live by their predictions. Worst still is that the metrology departments’ forecasts have proved futile as well. This leaves one wondering what will happen next, but what is true is that diseases, famine and poverty do the worst harm. It’s such state of affairs that have escorted the dreaded climate change.

The paradox of climate change impact on African societies.

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:21:18 +0000

Reviving school gardens as a tool for climate change adaptation.

mugisham1@gmail.com — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:20:50 +0000

Climate change is the world’s greatest threat so far. Despite all the efforts brought up to mitigate it, the world especially the developed countries don’t seem to be decisive on exactly what they should as the cutting on the greenhouse gases threaten their economic prosperity. This is why the highly anticipated COP15 talks in Copenhagen only ended up in an Accord rather than a binding legal instrument. The obvious truth is that where as we wait for the big time emitters to sort themselves up, climate change impact is having its toll on poor communities especially Africa and Asia where floods, prolonged droughts as well as famine have affirmed their roots. These disasters never give warning or time to prepare; it has to be within us the citizens of the world to learn how to live with the situation. We young people are the pillars of tomorrows’ world, seeing what is going on is putting us to the taste whether we should sit-by and give a deaf ear or roll up our sleeves and do action now. School gardens School gardens used to be common especially here in Uganda in the late 90’s however as time went by, these have steadily phased out that one can hardly find one in ten schools straight. Realizing the impact of climate change, these gardens could do a great deal in climate education but more importantly in sustainable development and in achieving the objectives of Millennium development Goals since the gardens not only teach mitigation but also adaptation to climate change through steady supply of food, reduction on expenditure made in buying food as well as getting some little capital from the sales if the gardens are taken to another level. Action plan For starters we are identifying a few schools where demonstration gardens will be established. Suitably these will be the ones with little space in that we shall use big vessels to be our garden. We shall make two demarcations in the gardens one to carter for vegetables and the other will be used to grow a couple of trees which when mature enough will be taken to other schools to start other gardens or atleast donated to the community. These demonstration gardens will play a fundamental role in practically introducing young people to the whole climate change issue since they will have hands-on experience from the exercise. This exercise will act as a double aged sword on climate change as it will be encouraging mitigation and adaptation at once besides the building of a strong team of leadership for tomorrow world.

The paradox of climate change impact on African societies

mugisham1@gmail.com — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:15:00 +0000

Ugandan landslides

mugisham1@gmail.com — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:48:20 +0000

The beginning of this month has not been the best here as more than 300 people have been killed in landslides as well as the entire villages buried under the mud. The government is trying to relocate the remaining villages as it is predicted that some more landslides may occur in areas around mt Elgon. Other districts have suffered the same prloblem especially in the Southwestern parts of Kabale and Kisoro. Questions have been looming on whether the landslides are caused by the massive tree cutting on the slopes of hilly areas. What is true however is that there was little land cover that would have atleast prevented great damage.

COP15 Youths Petition

mugisham1@gmail.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:49:37 +0000

As the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) in Copenhagen nears,alot of skeptism as to concluding a deal is on. But nevertheless its nolonger a secret that the most victims of Climate change impacts are the poor communities in the 3rd world. Here in Kampala we have come up with the initiative to petition the COP15 to make sure they crack a fair deal puting more emphasis on reducing the GHG to atleast more than 25% as well as helping communities to adapt to the situation. Otherwise lets hope that the conference will yield reasonable result as far as saving our world and securing a better tommorow is concerned.

Climate change to affect children more in LDCs

mugisham1@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:33:50 +0000

This week has seen most west African states of Burkina Faso,Niger,and others experience rains that have not been seen in a while. As all this is happening it is important to recall that most of the communities affected are those poor communities which of course have nothing to do but to wait for assistance from donors as well as their own inefficient governments. Imagine the plight of those children in such communities who will be missing school due to the floods not forgeting the other numerous problems like water borne diseases,food shortages hence difficience diseases,and of course poor shelter.Much as some organisations do come to the rescue of such childrren,it is surely impossible to keep helping these children on handouts until they retain the majority age. I should say that in my view most people who are raised on handouts tend to be lazy and call on for assistance everytime there's problems even those they can solve on their own. It is important that as we look into the climate change problem,we should also see avenue in which the children can receive sustainable education and most importantly to struggle for education that will help the youngstars use their hands to attain something not the one that make them beggers as they look for employment without experience.

climate change,malaria and counterfeit drugs in uganda

mugisham1@gmail.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:54:26 +0000

Hullo, Our country is one of those hardly hit by climate change impacts like long dry spells,floods and famine. in fact people have died in some regions. It is however alarming that even such impacts like malaria are likely to continue claiming people en mass as most anti malarial drugs sold here are fake. As i chill i have sent an article to one of the news papers here as well as to my social network blog condemning the act.