New measures to adapt to climate change in Burundi

Burundi’s Home Affairs minister Pascal Barandagiye, on Thursday 2 February 2017, laid out new measures to adjust to climate change.

Pascal Barandagiye” As climate has changed, people have to change their mentality.”

“We were accustomed to the fact that the rainy season lasts for nine months each year, but now, it is no longer the case, which is why we have to adopt new measures in order to survive”, said Barandagiye.

Normally in Burundi, there are two seasons in a year, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season starts in September and ends in May, whereas the dry season starts in June and ends in August.

However, last year, things changed. The dry season was long, lasting over six months, especially in some provinces like Bubanza and Cibitoke in western Burundi, Kirundo and Muyinga in the north, but also some communes of Gitega central province. It caused great hunger in the country.

Barandagiye said the first measure the government encourages is the irrigation of crops. «Now, we have to start thinking about how people living in dry areas can continue to survive. As climate has changed, people have to change their mentality”, said Barandagiye.

The second measure is the plantation of trees in the country. “The ministry has already started to sensitise people to plant trees. Different experts said that climate change is related to the destruction of the environment, which is why we have to protect it”, said Barandagiye.

Barandagiye calls on all Burundians to avoid destroying forests and do their best to protect the environment.

Richard Havyarimana, Coordinator of Burundi Network on Climate Change organisation said in 2014, that individual solutions are possible to be adapted to climate change. “Burundians must change mentalities. Everybody must be involved in the protection of the environment. Climate change is due to human activities; the situation will be saved thanks to human effort and involvement in the protection of the environment,” he said.

However, the number of people increases and then, they chop down trees to find where to build houses, search for wood and make charcoal.

The shortage of rain has caused hunger in different provinces. In Bubanza Western Burundi, four people have already died of hunger.