Environmental research

The Lower Shire districts of Chikhwawa and Nsanje experience chronic floods and droughts almost on yearly basis, almost every year from around 1999 up to the present date (Climate Change PVA Research 2006 Mlolo). The story of flooding in the Lower Shire will always go along with tales of suffering for communities living along Nkombedzi River banks at Nchalo in the area of Paramount Chief Lundu in Chikwawa District. Floods displace a lot of people and destroy their property like livestock, houses, crops and many others. This situation promotes food shortage and poverty as people are left without food and property. Schools are closed for a while during flooding pick periods in order to allow the water to subside. This affects the passing rates and the performance of the pupils as they stay for sometime without learning while some pupils from other schools are still learning. Communication especially through the roads from one bank of Nkombedzi River to another becomes a big challenge during flood periods. Hence people have difficulties accessing critical social services such as medical facilities. The Nkombedzi River has no trees after exiting Lengwe National Park and many people are planting winter crops following the alluvial soils it brings during the floods. Some community members use the small water reserves it has for making of bricks using the soils from the banks where by reducing its levels again this decreases Nkombedzi River Channel. All these activities promote the flooding of the river. The people from Sekeni, Mafale, Dzwilonjo, Nkungubwe group village headmen, the compound B and C, Sekeni, Nyamphota and Migoza primary Schools and part of Ilove sugar estate which is close to Nkombedzi River are always affected by floods The proposed intervention is about communities taking charge in containing the flooding behavior of Nkombedzi River, their long-time lifeline as well as threat. Communities will undertake riverbank afforestation, as a replication of FACE s initiative piloted earlier on Thangadzi River, with funding from the Brityish High Commission. Thi is a strategic intervention that differs from provision of relied aid in time of floods. Livelihoods activities such as promotion of irrigation farming and livestock rearing will be integrated in the project, as an incentive to communities for participating in the project activities. Project s Main Objective To conserve and protect Nkombedzi river and promote community livelihoods through planting of trees that have both environmental and human socio-economic benefits. Specifically: To strengthen VNRMCs, VDCs and Janeemo clubs To increase community participation in management of natural resources and mitigation of natural disasters To generate sustainable community actions for generating incomes from utilization of natural resources Implementation Strategy - Sensitization and awareness raising - Appreciative inquiry where existing community assets (skills, social capital, etc) will be promoted - Participatory learning and action, including field exchange visits Key Project Outcomes Increased tree cover on the banks of Nkombedzi river Reduced incidents of flooding of Nkombedzi river and related disruption to socio-economic activities in the area Increased community knowledge and skills in alternative livelihood activities Sustainability of Project Results 1. Sensitization and training of rural communities on riverbank conservation and management will have long lasting impacts 2. Involvement of rural communities through participatory approaches in all stages of the project planning and implementation will ensure community ownership. 3. Establishment and training of the community-based groups using local leadership structures will help sustain project initiatives. 4. Alternative income generating activities tend to be sustainable because of the direct cash benefit to project participants.

Malawi