ZAMBIA: CARITAS Zambia, Civil Society Organizations Towards Agro-ecology Media Awards
Eugene Kabilika, Caritas Zambia Executive Director
Mwenya Mukuka
Caritas Zambia and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have launched Agro-ecology and Climate Change media awards.
This is to award excellence and efforts in electronic and print media coverage on Agro-ecology, Environment and Climate Change so as to enhance advocacy for changes needed to improve and change policies on agroecology and are for environment, also how the country needs to promote resilience against negative effects of environmental malfunctioning.
Announcing the launch of the media awards in Lusaka on 29th October, 2020 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Caritas Zambia Executive Director Eugene Kabilika commended the media for the increased reports shared on various local and international media platforms on the subject of agroecology, environment and climate.
This is after the recent media training of over 30 people on agro-ecology, environment and climate.
Mr Kabilika said Caritas Zambia and other CSOs depend on the media to explain to the general public the intricacies of environmental terminologies as they have no school to go and learn such.
“This for us is good and encouraging because it is helping us to share this information with the general public. What is this ‘animal’ called agro-ecology that we speak about. What about the environment? What are the issues in environment and climate change?” Mr Kabilika reported.
Mr. Kabilika also said the awards have been launched by Caritas Zambia and its partner organizations because of the recognition that the media plays a significant role in influencing society’s way of thinking and understanding about various issues that have been identified.
“The media perform a strategic role in information and you determine what gets across to the public. So, the regulatory role that you play to select stories and emphasize on their content cannot be underestimated,” said Mr. Kabilika.
“We rely on your judgment to highlight what is extremely important in the areas of agro-ecology, environment and climate change. And the, those stories can help us civil society organisation in these areas to advocate for the changes that are necessary,” he added.
Country Director for Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), Mr. Muketoi Wamunyima said that the development is another significant role that civil society organizations are taking in engaging the media.
Mr. Wamunyima said that over the past years the civil society organisations have taken a deliberate engagement of the media in the hope of them becoming development allies and influence change attitudes, behaviours and beliefs.
At the same event, three champions on agroecology and climate change were also unveiled. These are musicians that have had songs on the subject.
The closing date for the media awards being supported by Caritas Zambia, Pelum and Action Aid is 12th November, 2020 and the award ceremony is slated for 18th November, 2020.
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