Notes to broadcasters
Globally, deforestation has accelerated since 1990. Each year, about 16 million hectares of forests are either burned, cut or simply bulldozed, thereby severely “wounding” the land with reduced rainfall, widespread poor farm harvests, rising temperatures and growing wood shortages.
When forest and tree cover is removed from the environment, the effect of heat from the sun is more direct and sometimes proportionately harsher on the earth’s surface; moisture evaporates more quickly, drying air, soil and water. In particular, the pressures of persistent and wanton bush burning not only remove natural resources in the environment, but also contribute to the “greenhouse effect” and reduced agricultural production.
Vulnerable groups in society who rely on natural resources for subsistence are the most affected by the changing climate around the world. It is estimated that climate change will reduce crop yields by an average of 10% over the whole of Africa. There could be a 33% reduction in maize yields in Tanzania. Millet production could decrease between 20% and 76% and sorghum production between 13% and 82% in Sudan.
In the two-part script that follows, two experts in an interview explain how trees and forest contribute towards reducing the greenhouse effect on agricultural production and the environment. Please adapt the script to your audience. The Tiv wise saying may also be replaced with those more familiar to the audience.
In the first part of the two-part interview, our guests told us how important it is for man and forests to live side by side. In this second part, Dr. Benedicta Utille and Alexander Bua tell us how trees and forests can be raised quickly to help end the rise in temperature, bring more rain, and prevent future wood shortages.
I am Sachia Ngutsav, your host on the program. I am here with two guests who know why these harsh changes are taking place. My guests tell me that, in spite of what seems an environmental crisis, the land – the soil, trees and forest around us – can be healed. Now how can that be done? Let’s listen to Alexander Bua, the head teacher of Mhambe Community primary school, and Dr. Benedicta Utille, who teaches forestry at the Makurdi University of Agriculture. Madam and sir, welcome to the program.Guests respond simultaneously
Thanks to my guests and our partners, Farm Radio International, for information on trees, forest, rain and global warming. Tune in again for the second part of the interview next week. I am Sachia Ngutsav. See you in the second part of “Forests shall heal the land.”
If you want to keep in touch with my guests on the topic: for Dr. Benedicta Utille, the email firstname.lastname@example.org. You can e-mail Alexander Bua email@example.com. Or you can simply write or email the producer of Farming for Life at Radio Benue, P.O. Box 1969, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Thanks for listening.
Contributed by: Sachia Ngutsav, Radio Benue, Nigeria.
Reviewed by: John FitzSimons, Associate Professor, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Canada.
- DCFRN, 2005. Choose the right trees to grow with crops. Package 74 number 9, March.
- DCFRN, 2007. Deforestation and Global Warming: Who is Responsible? Package 81, Script 8, August.
- DCFRN, 2006. Community Reforestation Brings Back the Rains in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. Package 78, Script 6, July.
- DCFRN, 2005. Radio Spot: Tree planting. Package 74, Script 7, March.
- Footsteps, 1999. Looking After our Land Reforestation and Resources. Footsteps No. 41, December.
- The Department of the Environment, 1990 and 1994. The Ozone Layer.
- Awake, 1998. Can our Rain Forest be Saved. May 8.
- Awake, 1998. Are we changing our Weather? May 22
- Interview, 2000, with Dr. B.C Utille, on Save our Forest World Environment Day Theme.
- Interview, 2000, with Alexander Bua, on Save Our forest World Environment Day Theme
- Reviewer: Terlumun Avav Department of Crops Production, University of Agriculture, Makurdi. Email:email@example.com