Minister of Natural Resources, Owen Chomanika, has applauded the youth for their role in implementing transformational solutions.
This comes as a total of 2,028 youths—54.2% of them female, were engaged in rehabilitating 5,000 hectares of degraded land and waste hotspots in the districts of Dedza, Lilongwe, Salima, Zomba, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Karonga, Blantyre, Machinga and Mangochi
while receiving training in green skills and entrepreneurship.
Chomanika said this when he had a field visit in Dedza District to appreciate the progress made under the Malawi Green Corps (MGC) initiative, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
He, however, raised concern over the alarming deforestation rates, citing that data shows Malawi is losing about 2% of its land each year due to environmental degradation.
Chomanika also warned that unless proactive measures like those in the Green Business Incentive Project are scaled up, the country risks facing a future marked by extensive land degradation and reduced agricultural productivity.
In Dedza District under traditional authorities Kasungu, Kachindamoto and Gwaza, where the minister visited, the initiave restored 570 hectares of land and trained 229 youths.
The initiative was launched by President Dr Lazarus Chakwera in February 2022 at Dowa Secondary School.
By Sheila Kasambiza
