Committee pledges success in catchment management
Wiliro Catchment Management Committee in Karonga says it is ready to shine in the implementation of the Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) expected to roll out soon in the district.
The catchment committee members watched a documentary on Friday that equipped them with knowledge on how they can conserve the environment, courtesy of the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC).
In an interview, Wiliro forest extension worker Peace Kapira said they will work hard to achieve the project’s outcomes.
He said: “Once the project rolls out, we want to take catchment management as business.
“So, we will come up with different initiatives such as beekeeping.”
Kapira said beekeeping has the potential to help in conserving the environment as it provides alternative sources of income.
“Beekeeping will replace charcoal production and selling of firewood,” he said.
In his remarks, NLGFC project research and documentation officer Symon Lubanga said they will support catchment areas in the 10 districts where EPWP will be implemented.
He said unlike the phased out Public Works Programme, NLGFC has introduced EPWP live monitoring tool because during the Public Works Programme, there was a big gap in monitoring and reporting the projects’ progress from the districts.
“We have deliberately come up with this initiative so that we track the progress on the ground and count every amount of money invested in the catchment areas in all the districts,” said Lubanga.
EPWP will be implemented in 10 districts councils, namely Chitipa, Karonga, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Dowa, Lilongwe, Balaka, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Blantyre.
