The United States Agency for International Development (USaid) has pumped K900 million (about $2.2m) into a climate change adaptation and resilience project being implemented by Care Malawi in Salima, Dowa, and Ntcheu districts.
The project, which is running for 28 months, is called Drought Mitigation through Irrigation and Conservation Agriculture Extension (Dice II). It aims at building the capacity of communities to mitigate effects of drought and flooding.
Speaking on Monday in Salima during the official launch of the project, USaid food for peace officer Emmanuel Ngulube said the project will help vulnerable communities in the three districts mitigate impacts of drought and flooding though the promotion of small-scale, sustainable and replicable irrigation systems and improved conservation agriculture.
He stressed the necessity of the interventions as the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly visible in Malawi.
“Dice II will work directly with communities to improve their resilience in the face of drought or flood and the project will reduce overdependence on rain-fed crop production through promotion and adoption of conservation agricultural practices.
“Despite the challenges of climate change, Malawi is demonstrating its determination to manage it while at the same time continuing to produce good crops for consumption, income generation and sustaining the environment,” said Ngulube.
In his remarks, Salima district commissioner Charles Kalemba appealed to the direct beneficiaries and all stakeholders to actively participate in the project and adopt all the project technologies.
“So many times we come together to launch such beautiful projects, but it is embarrassing to say, usually, we fail to see any change in people when the project phases out,” said Kalemba.
Dice II project will be implemented in traditional authorities Pemba, Maganga and Kambwiri in Salima.
