Story by Osuta Yusuf, Patriot Uganda.
Arua City.
14-November-2024.
Journalists selected from all the media houses in the West region have undergone three days of training on Smart Climate Agriculture (SCA), Data Journalism, and Gender Violence (GBV) as a result of climate hazards like drought, which leads to drainage of water sources, among other challenges of climate change.
The Smart Climate Agriculture (SCA) and Gender Based Violence (GBV) training for the journalists which started on Monday 11-November-2024 and ended on Wednesday 13-November-2024 has been organized by InfoNile Organization which is a non-profit organization that connects water and environment scientists and journalists to collaborate, produce and share knowledge on water, biodiversity and the environment.
Fred Mugira, the founder of InfoNile Organization, urged the Journalists not to sleep on their roles before a disaster happens but rather they should write stories that will put the authorities, the leaders, and the public on task to do what is required to avert climatic calamities caused by hazardous human activities.
One of the facilitators at the training, Mr Jonathan Driliga, who is also an Editor at Arua One FM, advised the journalists to report stories on the environment with much interest so that climate change
A veteran Journalist with Uganda Radio Network (URN), Mr. Candia Stephen, attributed a lack of will and lack of knowledge on such specific and crucial issues on climate that caused reluctance from fellow journalists from those years who didn’t focus on fighting Climate change by reporting extensively on the vice.
Flower Josephine, Voice of Madi FM Journalist who attended the three days training, pledged to implant in Madi Okollo District the skills and knowledge she acquired from this training by brining into their radio products, a particular segment for climate change.
Spirit FM Kokoko Journalist Mr. Vasco Gift expressed optimism that this training will positively impact the fight against climate change together with Executive Order Number 3 that was released a year ago by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to curb environmental degradation through abolishing charcoal burning, among others.
After training the Journalists, the organization also embarked on two days of training of Editors from all the Media houses in the West Nile region, which will end on Friday, 15 November 2024.