"Lupane State university introduced the AgMIP CLARE Regional Integrated Assessment approach in its new MSc program on climate change and sustainable development."
During AgMIP CLARE work the opportunity was identified to enhance the universities’ capacity on forward looking research approaches. This would contribute to strengthen academic linkages to decision makers in strategic implementing organizations, such as development agencies and government departments (e.g. Meteorological Services Departments, Agricultural and rural development). This can help to infusing research-informed decisions through a wider network of actors into national policy decisions, supporting climate change adaptation.
Lupane State university, has established a new MSc program on climate change and sustainable development. The University introduced the AgMIP CLARE Regional Integrated Assessment approach as component in its MSc curriculum. AgMIP CLARE through capacity development on simulation modeling, running through the MSc program, can support a better understanding of vulnerability to climate change and adaptation strategies effectively contributing to sustainable agriculture.
Through participation in AgMIP CLARE, the greatest opportunity for me was the awakening of potential of forward-looking approaches in terms of climate simulations and integrated modeling. The approaches at our university had been mostly backward looking, in terms of assessing evidence of climate change impacts, and reacting to impacts based on historical evidence. In one of the modules we have now introduced ‘Key Concepts in Climate Change and Sustainable Development’. We are looking for possibilities of utilizing the forward-looking approaches from AgMIP CLARE in our portfolio. This will help us to capacitate students that enroll with us. Some of these students represent critical positions in organizations dealing with climate change adaptation strategies, including staff from international NGOs, local CBOs and government departments.
The Department of Climate Change Management chose one university in each Province of Zimbabwe, to train provincial and district staff members, administrators and stakeholders to mainstream climate change adaptation into their development plans, as part of devolution strategies. Lupane State University is part of that process. As a knowledge generator and disseminator, we provide resource people to train the district’s technical staff.
