The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa has congratulated South Africa’s Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) initiative on being showcased as one of the 2013 Momentum for Change: Lighthouse Activity winners at the UNFCCC COP19 in Warsaw, Poland.
Food & Trees for Africa, developing permaculture food gardens at schools and developing food, farmers and fortunes for women in peri urban and rural areas of South Africa. Source: http://trees.co.za. The FTFA was one of 17 Lighthouse activities showcased at UNFCCC COP19.
Momentum for Change provides platform to highlight broad-ranging climate change actions that are already achieving tangible results on the ground.
By shining light on inspiring and transformational mitigation and adaptation activities, Momentum for Change aims to strengthen motivation, spur innovation and catalyse further change towards a low-emission, high resilient future. The Lighthouse Activities are showcased at the conference of the parties and the conference of the parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto protocol.
Both the Lighthouse Activities and the Momentum for Change initiative are being spearheaded by the UN climate change secretariat to shine a light on the enormous grounds well of activities underway across the globe towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient world.
Minister Molewa said that the work of Food & Trees for Africa was inspirational and was indicative that all South Africans had an important role to play in the fight against climate change. “The passion in their work is evident and the strong women focus of their initiative is commendable,” said Minister Molewa.
The 17 Lighthouse Activities were showcased at special events during the UN climate change conference in Warsaw, Poland (11 to 22 November). The awards ceremony took place yesterday, 20 November 2013.
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) fosters women’s leadership to address climate change. The initiative carries out activities such as planting trees to sequester carbon and raises public awareness about climate change. Its programmes also enhance food security, alleviate poverty, teach women skills and create a healthier and more sustainable environment.
FTFA implements six programmes that benefit thousands of women across South Africa each year: Trees for All, Trees for Homes, Edu Plant, Food Gardens for Africa, Bamboo for All and FEED.
Joanne Lee Carty, Food Gardens for Africa programme manager and COP19 representative said, "Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) is proud to have our work represented as a Lighthouse Activity as part of the Momentum for Change: Women for Results.
Women’s leadership is at the heart of FTFA’s programmes. Many of our programmes are led by female programme managers, supported by female entrepreneurs and have a positive impact on women from South Africa’s poorest communities. FTFA continues to innovate, adding new creative approaches to greening, sustainable natural resource management, behavioural change, and climate change mitigation, adaptation and awareness."
Women’s leadership is at the heart of FTFA’s programmes. For example, the Trees for Homes, Trees for All, Edu Plant and Food Gardens for Africa programmes are led by female programme managers, supported by female entrepreneurs and have a positive impact on women from South Africa’s poorest communities.
“The 2013 Lighthouse Activities are true beacons of hope, demonstrating what happens when innovation and passion come together to address the biggest challenge of our time,” UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said. There are thousands of examples of people taking action to address climate change all over the world.
The Lighthouse Activities highlight some of the most practical, scalable and replicable examples of what people, businesses, governments and industries are doing to tackle climate change, which I hope will inspire others to do the same.
For further information on the Lighthouse Activities click on the link below: www.momentum4change.org
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