Holistic framework needed to combat climate change – Minister Holder tells regional training workshop

GINA, GUYANA, Wednesday, May 17, 2017

A two- day regional workshop was today, launched to strengthen the capacity of national practitioners in gender responsive disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the agricultural sector.

The workshop aims to discuss and apply gender concepts to DRR in the agricultural sector, as well as to assist in formulating specific actions or recommendations to integrate gender within available country resilience programmes.

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder

In brief remarks at the Grand Coastal Hotel, Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder said that a holistic framework needs to be established to combat the effects of climate change, and by extension increase capacity for disaster risk management.

“We cannot neglect the need for multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional approaches. Today’s event, among others indicates the willingness and efforts of the Region to foster and sustain such a holistic framework. I therefore congratulate the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for their untiring efforts in this cause,” Minister Holder said.

He stressed that government is committed towards ensuring overall protection of livelihoods, and social capital and food and nutrition security in support of the implementation of the disaster risk management plan for the agricultural sector since Guyana has taken a number of steps to address climate change and disaster risk management.

According to Minister Holder, the agriculture ministry has intensified its focus on initiatives which are geared to combat the effects of climate change, and promote preparedness, response and resilience within the population.

Minister Holder expressed his gratitude to FAO for their assistance in the development of the disaster risk management plan, especially their sustained support in its implementation though the country faces several challenges.

Meanwhile, Assistant Representative-Administration attached to FAO, Dhanrajie Madray noted that the disaster risk reduction community

Assistant Representative, Administration of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dhanrajie Madray

recognises that gender equality is fundamental to increased diligence to disasters and interventions to promote more equitable gender relations by transforming gender roles. This will improve women’s position in organisations and challenge the power imbalance between men and women.

Madray said that the, “adoption of a gender responsive approach provides the opportunity to improve the situation by increasing the capacity of both women and men to reduce and mitigate the risk of disaster and promote equitable social relations.”

She noted that despite the acknowledgement of the importance of promoting gender equality, the challenge of turning this into concrete actions in the agriculture sector continues. This  requires strengthening the capacity of the institutions tasked with supporting the communities to manage disaster risk so they can develop gender responsive legislation policies and strategies, Madray pointed out.

A section of the participants attending the regional training workshop for integrating gender equality in disaster risk management programming in the Caribbean

The FAO representative also highlighted that gender and social economic analysis is required to ensure that men and women can participate in planning and decision-making practices, and technologies that improve diligence to disasters, in line with the commitment to the 2020 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The participants will also discuss the regional strategy for disaster risk management in the agricultural sector as an important sectoral contribution to the implementation of the Sendai Framework 2015-2030.

The Sendai Framework was adopted in March 2015 at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. The 15-year agreement maps out a broad, people-centered approach to contribute to sustainable development and increased resilience of nations and communities by mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into state policies.

 

 

By: Neola Damon

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