The Institute of Management and Leadership Development (IMLD) successfully organised two talks titled “Climate Change Adaptation for Sustainable Development in Tanzania” by Prof Shadrack S. Mwakalila on 21 March 2017 at Kampar Campus and 23 March at Sungai Long Campus. Present at the talk was IMLD Director Prof Dr Cheng Ming Yu, UTAR staff and students.
Prof Shadrack is the Rector of the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Tanzania. He is also a registered professional engineer by the Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania in Water Resources Engineering and Agricultural Engineering.
The talk aimed to provide a better understanding of the changing climate in Tanzania caused by global warming. By using photographs, he elaborated on climate change impacts, development, economic activities, and the strategies for adaptation to climate change in the Tanzanian context. Furthermore, he also provided relevant examples of real-life scenarios that occur in Tanzania, including frequent hurricanes, droughts and floods. He shared insights into how these calamities are anticipated and tackled.
Prof Shadrack clarified that the causes of climate change are both natural and manmade in origin, such as human activities, the burning of fossil fuels releasing greenhouse gases, land use changes, ocean circulation, volcanic eruptions, solar variations and orbital variations.
He further explained the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) six step approach to designing climate change adaptation initiatives, which are define problems, identify causes, identify normative responses, identify barriers, formulate expected results, and review steps. Apart from that, he also elaborated on the natural resources and economic activities in Tanzania, which were separated into eight sectors, namely agriculture, livestock, mineral, forestry, wildlife, energy, tourism and industry.
Later on, he introduced some of the integrated approaches and the steps they took to enhance public awareness, as well as to mobilise the resources, including finance, to adequately address climate change. These approaches included capacity building, appropriate technologies, law enforcement, resource efficiency, incentives and funding, catchment conservation, alternative livelihoods, land use planning and sustainable renewable energy. He also encouraged the participants to conduct their own research and find strategies that will contribute to improving the environment, and eventually the quality of human life.
The inspiring talks concluded with interactive Q&A sessions. At the Sungai Long Campus, Prof Shadrack received a token of appreciation from Prof Cheng for giving his time to present these informative talks to UTARians.
Prof Shadrack delivering his talk
Prof Cheng (right) presenting a token of appreciation to Prof Shadrack
Group photograph of the participants from Kampar Campus
All the participants from the Sungai Long Campus
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