Communication is vital for Sustainable Development in Africa

As the world grapples with the Climate Change scare, one thing is certain, Climate Change will hurt agriculture, health and the economy. Come to think of it, continued emissions of greenhouse gases and temperature rise will lead to disease, dried up water sources and poor crop yields. In the African continent, women will bear the brunt. African women who are said to produce 80% of food will take the climate change blow in the form of increased poverty, water scarcity, and food insecurity.

There are chances that these women who constitute about 65% of poor people will better their predicament if given vital information and a place on the decision making table.

The 2015 deadline set for the attainment of the millennium Development Goals is in sight with little results recorded towards helping the world's poor. In 2006 the World Bank forecast predicted that by 2015 more than 600 million people will still be living on US$1 a day.

There is absolute need for measures that will accelerate positive change for sustainable development to take its course. To arrive at these goals, people from all strata of society need to actively participate in the debates and decisions that affect their lives. They not only need to be able to receive information, but also to make their voices heard. If people are allowed to be their own agents of change and to work individually and collectively, it could be easier to achieve sustainable development.

Carved out in varying patterns, the media is reputed for igniting debate and setting the agenda in both developed and developing countries. With a crucial role to play, the print and audio visual media in their coverage cut across every aspect of economic, cultural, political and social life.

This explains why communication remains indispensable in attaining the millennium Development Goals, addressing climate change and alleviating poverty.