By Olimatou Coker
With a mission to support national advocacy efforts to influence strategic national climate targets on positions regarding adaptation, mitigation, loss & damage, energy, technology, and climate finance, so that climate responses better meet the expectations of communities affected by the climate crisis, the Young Volunteers for Environment (YVE) and its partners have recently started 4 days nationwide tour on ‘Banjul Climate caravan’ road ahead of cop27 to be held in Egypt this year.
The 4 days nationwide caravan in The Gambia is funded by Oxfam International in collaboration with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PAJA) (comprising NGOs, CSOs, Media, Farmers, Indigenous groups, and others).
YVE is engaged in several projects to support communities and indigenous peoples as holders of environmental knowledge who can help protect the environment, guide national policies and develop social and ecological resilience in the face of climate change.
Speaking at Janjanbureh, Ousman Bah, Governor of the Central River Region, said there are a lot of things missing in Janjanburreh due to the effects of climate change and urged the YVE to bring back the knowledge from the summit for the communities.
He also called on YVE to establish regional structures for properly taking care of the trees because they need to be looked after.
Fanta Darboe, National Coordinator Banjul Climate Caravan Team, said: “We want to demonstrate the strength of our movement and push for our government to play their part.”
She said the Banjul climate caravan seeks to organize mass mobilization of citizens and key stakeholders and local communities across the country, demonstrating solidarity between the climate and development movement, showing how everyone is affected by climate change, and demanding leaders address the climate crisis in an unprecedented way.
She added that they want to demonstrate that development organizations, climate movements, people young and old faith groups,s and partners from around the country will stand together in solidarity as a united front.
She also noted that the combination of climate change, biodiversity loss, youth unemployment, food insecurity, and high level of poverty in many African countries including The Gambia, Remains a major threat to the nations achieving the goals of sustainable development.
Bunda Janneh, Secretary of Rice Growers Cooperative Societies Janjanburreh Town, said with all the challenges the farmers are facing, better plans should be put in place to tackle things like that.
“Climate change is really a very big challenge for us farms,” Janneh said.
