THE PLATFORM

                                                   By Raphael Banda Zambia’s 2026 Elections Must Put the Environment First. As Zambia moves steadily toward the 2026 General Elections, one issue deserves far greater attention from both political leaders and voters: environmental protection. Zambia’s democracy has matured through peaceful transitions and regular elections every five years. Yet elections should not only be about political competition they must also be moments for serious national reflection on long-term development. With campaigns building toward August 13, 2026, environmental sustainability and climate-smart agriculture should feature prominently in party manifestos and public debates. Environmental protection is not a fringe concern. It lies at the heart of national prosperity. Protecting forests, promoting conservation agriculture, and ...

  Climate Justice Demands More Than Promises: Why COP30 Must Deliver Finance The Global South emits a fraction of the world’s carbon, yet suffers most of the damage. From Zambia to across Africa, communities are adapting with limited resources. Climate finance is overdue and the media must be part of the solution. Zambia is among many countries in the Global South feeling the disproportionate weight of climate change. In 2024, the nation faced one of its worst droughts in decades, dragging down the economy and affecting 87 of its 116 districts. Yet Zambia, like much of Africa, contributes just about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This contrast, low emissions but high vulnerability, underscores a fundamental injustice in the global climate debate: climate finance is not keeping pace with the scale of the crisis. As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025 , climate finance must take center stage. For three decades, leaders have met annually in the Blue...

  Much Effort Required to Attain UNSDGs in the Next Five Years By Raphael Banda This year’s 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)  opened on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, with the High-Level General Debates scheduled for  tomorrow Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The session marks a decade since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which set the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On September 25, 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 70/1, establishing the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets aimed at achieving sustainable development by 2030. The agenda outlines ambitious but vital priorities such as ending hunger, reducing poverty, and creating sustainable cities and communities. Now, with only five years remaining before the 2030 deadline, countries must take deep reflection on the progress made and reposition strategies to accelerate achievements. While the world has faced numerous calamities and shocks incl...

      THE HUMAN COST OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES IN ZAMBIA By Raphael Banda The 2024/2025 farming season, brought a lot of jubilations to farmers and the general citizenly across Zambia due to the bumper harvest the country recorded. This bumper harvest recorded which is described by many as ‘ a blessing and restoration of food security’ comes barely few months after the country suffered the toughest drought in living memory. The farmers’ and people’s fixed smiles, were also witnessed during the 2025 (97) Agriculture and Commercial Show which took place on the 4 th of August in Lusaka, Zambia. In as much as we appreciate farmers (writer inclusive), we need to reflect on how we handle and fight post-harvest loss at the individual and national levels. Thousands of farmers across the country of the atleast 2.5 million registered are experiencing devastating reality (post-harvest losses) that eat our food security and income. A good portion of hard-earned crop is ...

  Quality Agriculture Extension services key to attaining Climate Smart Agriculture. By Raphael Banda In most African countries and beyond, farming is a lifeline. This is owing to the fact that it feeds families, supports local economies, and preserves cultural identities passed down through previous and current generations. However, the past few decades, this sustenance has come under increasing threat from something beyond any farmer’s control known as climate change. Its effects have made rainfall unpredictable; seasons commence late or not at all in some parts of the continent. Crops that once thrived now struggle. For millions of smallholder farmers including the over 2.5 million registered farmers in Zambia, the impact has been demoralizing. Despite the setback, a new wave of hope has emerged in the form of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) which is a practical, proven, and people-centered approach that is helping farmers fight back and attain maximum crop yields. ...

  The Green Economy and Climate Change Act no.18  2024- A focused piece of legislation. By Raphael Banda January 23 rd , 2025. Environmental protection wise, the ''Eco-friendly curtains of 2024 brightened their colours on Zambia on December 26th as evidenced by the zeal and determination showed by government and parliament to enact a progressive law which strives to attain Zambia's vision 2030 and United Nations's Sustainable Development Goal number 13.'' On December 26 th , 2024, Zambia enacted the Green Economy and Climate Change Act no.18 of 2024. This progressive Act provides for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, climate change mitigation, low emission development, green economy and related actions. The Act also provides for regulation of carbon markets; provides for environmental and social safeguards in climate change actions; establishes the Climate Change Fund; domesticates the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...

  Climate Financing and loss and damage payments are a timely solution. By Raphel Banda Considering the forth coming 29 th Conference of Parties in Baku from Nov 11 th  to 22 nd 2024, discussions around climate financing and loss and damage payments should take centre stage if we are to address adverse effects of climate change. Delegates from both blue and green zones and the over 500 accredited media houses should advocate for more funding towards climate change fight especially by countries in the global south such as Zambia. Despite the scarce funds currently available for adaptation, some Parties to the UNFCCC have suggested prioritization between eligible countries based on their vulnerability to climate change and to develop a vulnerability index for doing so. Iam alive to the fact that Article 4.4 of the Convention commits developed countries to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting costs of ...

It’s time to enact and implement climate - focused legislation. By Raphael Banda October 3rd 2024.   The climate change effects have continued to cause shocks on several economies of developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa and beyond with Zambia not being exception. Momentarily, officials say 87 of Zambia’s 116 districts have been hit hard by the drought caused by the prolonged dry spell in the previous rainy season. Sectors such as Agriculture and Energy, among others, have suffered severe shocks. To cushion this, government and other like-minded organisations such as the UN, AU and the EU among others have joined hands in putting various strategies in place such as cash for work, relief food and other social incentives to the most affected. In as much as we appreciate these efforts, it’s time to " Take urgent action" to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy" as stipulated by the United ...

  Understanding Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in Zambia By Raphael Banda. Over the years, we have been hearing words like climate adaptation and mitigation, but have these terminologies played any role in the fight against climate change in Zambia or elsewhere in Africa? By definition , climate adaptation means the process of adjusting to the effects of climate change and climate mitigation means decarbonization or an   action to limit the  greenhouse gases  in the atmosphere that cause  climate change . These terminologies play a huge role in the quest to embrace climate resilience. I (as an environmental journalist and media trainer) feel that these terminologies have not helped very much to fight climate change effects here in Zambia. Writers ,advocates and   journalists must use such terminologies when addressing policy makers or making presentations at high level meetings like the forth coming COP 29 for possible policy shift. But for a ...

  By Raphael Banda The Impact of Climate Change on Aquatic Life needs concerted efforts. The impact of climate change has had devasting effects on both human and aquatic lives in the recent past. Zambia and two of her neighbouring countries are grappling with the climate change effects that have resulted in drought and food insecurity in the affected regions. We ( environmental journalists/media development trainers ) and other environmental enthusiasts should give close attention and action on climate change impact on fisheries and aquatic lives too. According to reliable statistics, over 58 million people globally are employed in the primary fish sector and 600 million in the secondary fish sector. This sector has, however, been harshly affected by climate change. According to (IPCC 2021) report, 90% of the excess heat generated by global warming is absorbed by the ocean/rivers which are home to fisheries/aquatic lives. This has major implications on animals that live in ...

  The 2024 World Refugees Day Recommendations and Commendations. In the picture, World Vision/UNICEF Zambia representatives handing over the borehole at Meheba Refugees settlement a few years ago.   By Raphael Banda Over the years, Zambia has continued to host refugees, asylum-seekers and other people of concern and the number currently stands at   about 105,000.     Hence embarking on a journey of resilience and compassion towards comprehensive refugee protection and integration in refugees’ settlements such as Maheba in Northwestern Province, Mantapala in Luapula and Mayukwayukwa in Western province.   Rooted in humanitarian principles and enshrined within the National Refugee Policy, Zambia’s vision go beyond borders to foster social cohesion, economic development, and safeguard the fundamental rights of all individuals. This monumental journey began in 2019, with the inception of a pioneering Refugee Policy by the Office of the Commissioner ...

  LET US RE-ECHO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BEES The theme for 2024 “Bee Engaged with Youth." By Raphael Banda- Media Trainer   May 20 each year we celebrate the role that bees play in the ecosystem and this year’s theme was ‘Bee Engaged with Youth’.   The subject emphasizes the role that young people and media may play in preserving pollinators like bees.     To place emphasis on the need to protect bees and other insects as they are key to our food security, on April 9 th 2024 , I gave a brief write up on the importance of bees. Read and share your thoughts: Most of us naturally complain when we are stung by the bees and feel good when the bee is found life-less yet we all love honey produced by the same bees. But, there is need for the change of mindset and focus our energies towards protecting these insects as they contribute greatly to our livelihood. The extinction of the bees makes sad reading as they make 78% of the food that you ...

  The aim of this story is to understand and learn how climate change and environmental protection is being tackled in other countries but within Africa. Focus on environmental stories across Africa Yipala is nestled among flat grassland sparsely dotted with towering aged trees. Every few miles, mounds of shea nuts are drying in the early morning sun. And in the depths of the community, a rogue timber factory waits to resume operations.  The factory, whose activities are entirely illegal, has been shuttered at least twice. Since its last government shutdown in 2022, none of the factory’s machines have been destroyed nor its vast logs of rosewood burned as a deterrent. Giant cuts of rosewood in the hundreds are stacked high in the backyard. Heavy machinery with labels and instructions written in Mandarin lay waiting to begin slicing and dicing.  It epitomizes the battle underway to protect Ghana’s portion of the threatened Upper Guinean forests – one of the world’s most bi...