The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launches Awareness & Sensitization Campaign on Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for the Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Sector.

With support of the National Adaptations Plan (NAP) Project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the objective of this event is to raise awareness on the impacts of climate change on these critical sectors, while at the same time, presenting adaptation options and action plans to stakeholders.

The two-day event held in Gbarnga Bong County, has broughttogether more than 100 participants from the relevant ministries, agencies and commissions, including agriculture, fisheries and forestry extension officers at the county and regional levels; civil society, youth, women, student, cooperatives and community representatives; farmers, fishermen and local authorities from across the 15 counties.

The EPA and UNDP are working jointly to sensitize varoius spheres of the society on the Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report for the three sectors. The Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment study, was commissioned by the EPA and the UNDP with support from the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to give decision makers and the most vulnerable population adequate tools and information that enable them to adapt to climate change.

The NAP project is helping Liberia in its medium-term investment planning in climate sensitive sectors, including agriculture, energy, waste management, forestry, health and coastal areas in Liberia.

The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by UNDP and partners, including the EPA.

NAPs Project Manager, E. Abraham T. Tumbey, said Liberia’s economy, population and environment are highly vulnerable to climate variability and change.

Tumbey said a range of studies including Liberia’s Initial National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), established that the impacts of climate change are expected to intensify as changes in temperature and precipitation affect economic activity.

A two-day training on Liberia’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report seeks to raise awareness and sensitize local and national stakeholders on the adaptation strategies, and action plans developed for the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as the launching of the climate vulnerability and risk assessment report for these sectors.

The workshop attracted about 100 persons from around the 15 counties, including local authorities and representatives from the relevant government agencies, community people, civil society organizations and the private sector, as well as universities and research institutions.

EPA Deputy Executive Director, Randall M. Dobayou, said climate change is an uncompromising and revolving environmental human-induced phenomenon affecting our ecosystem.

“When the ecosystem is affected, the food we eat is threatened, animals are left vulnerable and our forests get severely impacted, because of the change in weather pattern, high temperature, aggressive humidity and fluctuating precipitation,” Dobayou said.

According to him, a summary of the Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report spoke of climate change, and climate vulnerabilities which, Dobayou said, are already negatively impacting the productivity of the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors, including their associated food chain.

“You, as key stakeholders, land users, forest custodians, community leaders, fisher men and women, student leaders, county authorities, private sector and academic institutions, need to be aware of these vulnerabilities, because they have visible and adverse social impact and human dimension as it affects the livelihood of communities with altered effects on women, men, and children,” Dobayou told the participants.

Bobby Whitfield, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Liberia Wash Commission, said the issue of climate change is real and lauded the EPA and the UNDP for the training.