Climate Change and Adaptation (CCA)

strategies in Malawi and key information on the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme

(SAPP)

BY MALAWI TEAM

DESCRIPTION OF MALAWIRepublic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in South-east Africa

It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west.

Malawi is over 118,000 km2 (45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population of 16,777,547 (July 2013 est.).

Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city; the second largest is Blantyre and the third is Mzuzu.

The economy of Malawi is predominantly agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas.

Agriculture represents 37% of GDP, accounts for over 80% of the labor force, and represents about 80% of all exports. Its most important export crop is tobacco, which accounts for about 70% of export revenues.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME (SAPP)

The sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) is a nine year programme being implemented in the six districts of Blantyre, Chiradzulu and Balaka in the southern region, Lilongwe and Nkhotakota in the central region and Chitipa in the northern region. (marked red on the map)

The project is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Malawi Government, and the Programme Beneficiaries.

The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to reduction of poverty and improved food security among the rural population.

The specific development objective of the programme is to achieve a viable and sustainable smallholder agricultural sector employing good agricultural practices (GAPs).

Components of the programme include; Adaptative research, Farmers Adoption of Good Agriculture Practices and Project Coordination and Knowledge Management

STATUS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN MALAWI

In the last two decades, Malawi has experienced a number of adverse climatic hazards.

The most serious ones have been dry spells, seasonal droughts, intense rainfall, riverine floods and flash floods.

Some of these especially droughts and floods, have since increased in frequency, intensity and magnitude over the same two decades, and have adversely impacted on food and water security, water quality, energy and sustainable livelihoods of the most rural communities.

The analysis of climate change impacts in Malawi, reveals that Malawi has been impactad in almost all the sectors of development. These sectors include agriculture, health, energy, fisheries and wild life etc.

2015-16 SEASON: MAIZE CROP CAPTURED IN CHIRADZULU , 176 MALAWIANS WERE REPORTED KILLED BY FLASH FLOODS AND OVER 100,000 DISPLACED

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING CLIMATE CHANGE IN MALAWI

National strategies

National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) (2006): Evaluates various adaptation projects based on criteria such as costs in terms of human impact, likelihood of irreversible change, imminence of threat on development and livelihoods, removal of triggers for socioeconomic and environmental deterioration, and enhancement of system proper ties such as improving the threshold of adverse effects.

Malawi Growth Develpment Strategy also provides strategic guidance in mitigating impacts of climate change

Initial National Communication (2002): Provides an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, a vulnerability and adaptation assessment, a mitigation and abatement analysis, plans for education and public awareness, and potential adaptation and mitigation projects.

Institutional Framework

The Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is the mandated government body responsible for coordinating Malawi’s environmental policies and programs.

The EAD is responsible for coordinating NAPA projects, with line ministries implementing specific projects.

The EAD also acts as the lead climate change planning organization for the Government of Malawi.

Agriculture Sector Wide Approach (ASWAp)

The Agriculture Sector Wide Approach (ASWAp), which is the overall umbrela that overseas agriculture programmes in Malawi has prioritized climate change as one of the challenges that is affecting agricultural development. Therefore the ASWAp ensures that agricultural projects/programmes mitigate impact of climate change.

CONCLUSION Some of the challenges of implementing climate change strategies in Malawi include; Climate change data collection and monitoring continue to be a challenge in Malawi, mainstreaming of climate change adaptation in national development planning and Increasing the resources and skills at the local level to improve planning for climate change and environmental management.

Even though there are challenges there is a positive response in the country to deal with the challenges.

Signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the United Nations on September 20, 2016 by H.E., President Arthur Peter Mutharika

Malawi launched its process to formulate and implement National Adaptation Plan (NAPs) in 2014 with the involvement of different stakeholders

Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture strategies in order to deal with climate change

Looking foward to learning how Mozambique and Rwanda have managed the situation on climate change during the learning route.

THE END! THANK YOU