CUTS held the 7th and last National Reference Group (NRG) meeting under the project Promoting Agriculture-Climate-Trade linkages in the East African Community (PACT-EAC) on April 14, 2015 at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi.
The meeting took stock of the policy and practice impacts of the PACT-EAC project. By bringing policy makers from relevant ministries and stakeholders together, the project has managed to inform, train and move hundreds into advocacy action. An independent evaluation released last year credited the project for inspiring linkages between policies at the national level as well as triggering over 30 local initiatives that promote similar linkages.
As part of the project’s advocacy campaign, CUTS Nairobi facilitated farmers’ engagement with policy makers and experts to enhance climate change early warning system in Murang’a and Makueni counties. At the meeting, respective county officials informed the audience the process and results of this initiative. It was also indicated that KMS has started downscaling weather information that is readily consumable both in terms of content and language. In line with PACT-EAC advocacy campaign ‘forewarned, forearmed’, presentations from the two counties revealed that the respective KMS offices are ensuring weather information is early and accurate.
During the meeting, Makueni officials announced the launch of a weather communications programme. It was interesting to learn about their newly developed local Dictionary for weather and climate change related terminologies to facilitate understanding and uptake during the down scaling process of climate change information system as a result of the campaign. Similarly Murang’a County led by the Chief executive member for Agriculture and the Director of Metrological Services outlined their county plan in terms of actions and resources a head of the launch of weather information programme at the county.
Besides taking stock of the project’s impacts, participants were briefed on current international negotiations on climate and trade issues.
Mr. Fredrick Matwang’a, Kenya’s WTO Delegate in Geneva, briefed the audience on the state of negotiations towar
For more information, please contact:
Consumer Unity & Trust Society -Africa Resource Centre (CUTS-ARC), Nairobi Yaya Court- Room No.5, Ring Road Kilimani
Phone: + 254-20-386 2149-50/232 9112
Fax: + 254-20-2386 2149 (TF)
Email: nairobi@cuts.org; doa@cuts.org mgb@cuts.org