DoDMA engages communities on disaster management

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DoDMA

In an effort to incorporate emerging climate change and disaster risk management issues, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is consulting communities on the review of the National Disaster Risk Management Communication Strategy (NDRMCS).

DoDMA’s Director of Disaster Risk Management James Chiusiwa said the consultations are being held in eight districts across the country.

DoDMA
Chiusiwa during a briefing at the office of the District Commissioner in Dedza.

He was speaking in Dedza District during a visit at the office of the District Commissioner before engaging communities from Traditional Authorities Kamenyagwaza and Kasumbu.

Chiusiwa said the consultations are aimed at coming up with a tailor-made communication strategy that addresses communication needs of communities and all disaster risk management stakeholders.

He further added that the consultations follows the expiring of the National Disaster Risk Management Communication Strategy which was developed in 2014.

“In 2014, we developed the National Disaster Risk Management Communication Strategy whose implementation period comes to an end this year [2018]. So, instead of coming up with a new communication strategy, we thought it wise to review and improve the NDRMCS to incorporate emerging climate change and disaster risk management issues, with much emphasis on communication needs of communities who are amongst key stakeholders in as far as issues of disaster risk management are concerned,” said Chiusiwa.

He added that the department engages the youth, men, women and civil protection committees and all the local structures involved in disaster risk management activities at village, area and district levels.

Apart from communities in Dedza, DoDMA will also engage communities in Zomba, Mulanje, Mwanza, Kasungu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota and Salima.

DoDMA is reviewing the NDRMCS under the Saving Lives and Protecting Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Malawi: Scaling up the use of Modernised Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (M-CLIMES) Project.

The M-CLIMES is a K12 billion project funded by the Green Climate Fund, the Malawi Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

It aims at supporting the Malawi Government to take steps in saving lives and enhance livelihoods at risk of climate-related disasters.

 

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