Zomba District Council has approved implementation of Ecosystems-Based Adaptation for Resilient Watershed and communities in Malawi (EBAM) project, which specifically focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through improved watershed management, enhancing resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems to climate change.
The project will be implemented till 2030 and Zomba during a District Executive Committee (DEC) Meeting, Director of Planning and Development, Precious Kantsitsi, said the project, apart from addressing major environmental and social-economic challenges, will contribute to transformation of the agriculture sector for enhanced production and improve the wellbeing of Malawians.
“Zomba is one of the districts faced with climate change and this has in some points forced farmers adopt some unsustainable land use practices that in the end contribute to land degradation.
“Through the EBAM project, we expect to find a solution to address environmental and social economic challenges while encouraging communitues to adopt to new and sustainable agricultural practices,” Kantsitsi explained.
The DPD further said the project will also increase farmers access to markers and financial opportunities through the innovation in financing for smallholder farmers component.
Benedict Vickers, Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Chief Technical Adivisor said the project will target three macro-catchment in the three Extension Planning Areas of Chingale, Masaula and Thondwe.
Vickers said the key components of the project are Integrated landscape management, Resilient livelihoods and food systems and enabling institutional and financial environment.
The project, which is being funded by the Green Climate Fund, will be implemented in 11 districts among which includes Chitipa, Nkhatabay, Dedza, Mwanza and Zomba.
By Solister Mogha, MANA
