The Project of Improving Adaptive Capacity of the Vulnerable and Food-insecure Populations in Lesotho (IACOV) held a one day meeting with media practitioners from different media houses. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a working relationship between IACOV, stakeholder ministries and media houses.

The Communication Manager IACOV Ms Rorisang Kurubally stressed the need for all the parties to collaborate in the dissemination of information about climate change. She indicated that media practitioners are the key drivers in awareness raising and advocacy on climate issues.  Ms Kurubally further pointed out that in order to successfully reach the desired scope in spreading information about climate change, different media platforms would be required to participate, hence why they need to engage members of media from different platforms.

The participants drew a plan and mapped out a way forward. The media practitioners expressed their appreciation for the recognition that IACOV afforded them. They pointed out that they are excited about the cooperation and vowed to work hand in hand with the project as long as they get the necessary support with resources. They further highlighted the need to be provided with regular trainings on climate change so that they can fully understand this phenomenon. They pointed out that most of them still consider climate change a boring topic because they lack depth of knowledge on the subject and therefore fail to come up with stories that attract a lot of readership or listenership. However, they agreed that regular trainings would expand their knowledge and therefore help them come up with stories that are relatable to the targeted audience.

Climate change has affected people in several ways and those that are hit hard are the ones whose livelihoods are based on agriculture. It has resulted in most families finding themselves in dire poverty and hunger. Most of the communities lack knowledge in climate change and as a result often fail to prepare themselves for the unpleasant consequences of climate change.

Present at the meeting were media practitioners from different media houses, Information Officers from the Ministry of Forestry, Range and Soil Conservation together with representatives from IACOV.