Luapula regional climate change project to improve livelihoods

Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa has urged the people of Luapula to form cooperatives so that they can benefit from the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) Project in Luapula Province.Speaking when he addressed residents of Lunga, Mr. Chilangwa noted that the TRALARD project is meant to benefit rural communities so that they too can have a good livelihood.He observed that the Project is being implemented in districts that are heavily affected by climate change such as Lunga which recently experienced floods that left more than 10, 000 households devastated.“Various adaptive life changing activities like fish farming, small livestock rearing and gardening are being implemented in three provinces which include Northern, Muchinga and Luapula where Lunga is also benefiting under the project of clearing and deepening of canals,” he said.Mr. Chilangwa challenged Lunga residents to come up with more than twenty cooperatives of both women and men, women and youths as well.“Once you form cooperatives, you can decide on your own what you want to do with the funds such as rearing chickens, fish farming, milling machine for rice and many other entrepreneurial activities that are unique,” he stated.Meanwhile, Luapula Province Planning Unit Assistant Director Martin Sodala disclosed that the Provincial Planning Unit has trained people at district level to spearhead the TRALARD project being rolled out in districts.“So far, five projects under TRALARD have been approved for funding in Lunga district and in just a weeks’ time the projects will be launched,” he stated.Mr. Sodala said his office will ensure that the people that have been trained to spearhead the TRALARD projects are on the ground to sensitize communities on the need of forming cooperatives so that they too can benefit from the funding under TRALARD. – ZANIS The Sun