PCF5: Climate change, environment and livelihoods

Title of session
Climate change, environment and livelihoods

Session details

 * Chair (Name & email): John H. van Mossel, jvmossel@magma.ca...
 * Facilitator (Name & email): Sheri Lim, limsher@yahoo.ca
 * Reporter (Name & email): Delia Cuffy-Weekes, cuffyd5@gmail.com

Topic

 * Livelihoods, environment and climate change: Ideas, experiences and learning (639)
 * Climate change and water issues: Tech-MODE tools for strengthening community responses in Kenya (805)
 * A radio scriptwriting competition: training African radio broadcasters to create and exchange programmes on climate change adaptation for farmers (469)
 * Climate Change – Caribbean Perspective

Aim

 * To explore the contribution of ICT and open and distance learning (ODL) in promoting more effective and efficient learning and skills development in order to achieve improved livelihoods, and in turn contributing to development goals.

Assumption

 * Papers, presentations or discussion in any session would be presenting evidence based experience and/or elaborating a theoretical perspective to improve the aim of PCF5.

Key Issues that arose in the session
1 Outline of theoretical perspectives explored in the session that has the potential for achieving effective learning and improved livelihoods through ODL? - An understanding of the relationship between rural poverty and environmental poverty and how climate change can worsen that.

2. Summary of evidences (data) that are offered in the session for achieving effective learning for achieving improved livelihoods through ODL? - Mobile phones, Community radio, transfer of oral traditional knowledge - Mixed bag approach ( face to face, news letters, postcards, email, snail mail etc) - Mix of current and new technologies - Reach is much better (individuals as well as wider communities)

3. What are the unresolved issues and challenges for achieving effective learning for improved livelihoods through ODL?- IT illiteracy - Inadequacy of infrastructure - Climate change language is very scientific (for translation to other languages) - Climate change issues being discussed at the local level as well as by scientists and a link must be made… - How issues of land use can be integrated into ODL to address Climate Change.

4. What are the potential solutions for these issues and challenges that can make ODL work better for improved livelihoods?* Put Climate change on the COL agenda to get the message to the public. Everyone can and should be involved. - All projects should have capacity building and sharing of skills to enhance dissemination of relevant information. - Ensure all relevant stakeholder are involved at every stage

5. Suggest useful resources, people or institutions who could contribute to addressing these issues and challenges for achieving the sub theme topic and effective learning for livelihoods? - COL, CEE, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), Farm Radio International, African Centre for Technology and Science, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Sheri Lim, John van Mossel, ….

6. What role COL can play in strengthening the use of ICT and ODL and in adding value to achieving the sub theme topic towards effective learning for livelihoods? * COL should mainstream Climate Change as a significant issue in all of their programme areas in their new 3 year work plan. - Continue to facilitate collaboration between organizations addressing Climate Change through ODL Funding where possible (Cost sharing)