guest column:Peter Makwanya BUILDING resilience in vulnerable populations requires helping them to improve their coping capacities to climate change. This would also enable them to adapt their livelihoods as well as improving their governance systems. The reason is that future problems of this nature should be avoided, hence serious lessons have to be learnt and they empower vulnerable communities to move ahead. Resilience can be simply defined as the ability of individuals, households, communities and systems to anticipate, cushion, adapt, bounce back better and move on from the effects of shocks and hazards in a manner that protects livelihoods. In this regard, resilience is not only an individual event, but a collective process which requires a multi-sectorial approach in order to deliver results and strategies that contribute the strengthening of national livelihoods. Vulnerable communities need to minimise exposure to inherent shocks and stresses through nationally-driven preventive measures which enable them to cope and recover quickly in order to avoid negative and long lasting impacts. This means that communities should participate in risk management by being able to absorb impacts of climate-related shocks. The country suffered from shocks caused by Cyclone Idai and also perennial floods in Binga and Tsholotsho including parts of Muzarabani. There is inherent lack of capacity to strengthen and maintain informal safety nets, knowledge of peace-building and conflict resolution strategies in order to create a cohesive society, live peacefully and solve environmental problems. Micro-finance organisations are also important in strengthening household savings in order to create capital base. The ability to make proactive and informed choices about alternative livelihood strategies based on understanding climate change conditions is paramount. This includes livelihood diversification, asset accumulation and improved social and human capital. Zimbabwe has been facing problems of deforestation for quite some time and even the reforestation programmes by the country, NGOs and other implementing partners don’t seem to work properly. Deforestation is caused by illegal mining activities, uncontrolled forest fires and the need for new land for agricultural production. Land degradation is caused by uncontrolled small-scale mining activities, urban expansion and building on wetlands. Many Zimbabweans, especially women, don’t own immovable assets which would help them improve their coping capacities. Many of them don’t have title deeds to land, livestock ownership including houses and other useful buildings like shops. Women also don’t have more access to credit facilities and information communication technological tools for information sharing. The main point of focus in this regard is long lasting resilience at household and community levels. Some of the programmes at household and community levels include food insecurity in Zimbabwe, over 10 years, ranging from 12% to 60% with varying degrees. Food insecurity, malnutriti