Let's move away from mitigation measures and teach communities how to cope

Victor Bwire, Head of Media Development and Strategy at the Media Council of Kenya. [File, Standard]

It has taken time but it's happening. People from communities around Lake Victoria have accepted the reality that climate change impacts their activities and that food production -- from fishing to farming -- must take a different direction.

Climate change interventions in the region must move away from the strong focus on mitigation measures that worked in the initial stages like building dykes, moving people and bringing relief food. Interventions should now be related to helping the communities enhance their capacity and resilience to cope with the effects of climate change.