By Smart Chalika
Government of Malawi has signed a $4 million agreement with the Government of Norway and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) in forests and agriculture under the MELBA Malawi project.
The initiative aims to enhance Malawi’s resilience to climate change through improved systems that track, assess and learn from EbA interventions.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lilongwe, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Richard Perekamoyo, said climate adaptation is not only an environmental priority but also a national development and poverty reduction imperative.
He noted that MELBA addresses a critical national gap by enabling the country to measure adaptation impacts, and reaffirmed government’s commitment to effective implementation.
FAO Representative in Malawi, Ali Said, described the project as a turning point for country led ecosystem based adaptation, saying robust monitoring and evaluation will generate lessons from both successes and challenges to ensure long-term sustainability.
Norway’s Ambassador to Malawi, Anne Sofie Bjelland, said Norway’s priorities include early warning systems and climate services, nature-based solutions, climate resilient food production, and innovative financing mechanisms.
She added that Norway expects the project to foster collaboration with other countries and inform the upcoming revision of global adaptation indicators.
The four year MELBA Malawi project will be implemented across all districts of the country.
