People from different communities in Phalombe district have expressed satisfactory with positive impacts of Climate-Smart public works programme which has about 19 thousand families benefitting from doing the works across the district.
In an interview, Arnold Majawa who resides in Jadeni Village in the district said through the programme people have benefitted a lot including improving their livelihood through money which they receive after doing the works as an appreciation.
“We are able to buy food and send our kids to school through cash we get as appreciation for our voluntary work that we do in conserving the environment,” he said.
Majawa added that through the programme, most villages have now established woodlots where in the coming years they will be getting trees for different use such as firewood and wood for construction.
“We won’t be going to the forests and mountains to destroy trees again as we have now established our own woodlots through the initiatives of the programme. Our crops’ fields are now protected through stone bunds that we have put in place,” he added.
In her remarks, Village headperson Ganeti commended the programme which has constructed a stone bund in Mwananyani mountain protecting the area of about 250 hectors. She has since asked people to take ownership of the programme as it is very crucial.
“The stone bund covers a larger area of which protect crops from run-off water from the mountain. I am happy with this programme and it’s my plea to all of us to take ownership of this which has a positive impact,” she said.
Acting Land Resource Conservation Officer for the district, Aaron M’mwala said about 18968 households are benefiting from the programme which so far has conserved 16 catchments including the hills and mountains. And also saw community woodlots established.
“During the pilot phase we sow and planted trees in many places of which many have grown now, we have some villages which have established their woodlots. As a council we are happy with the impacts of the programme,” he said.
The programme is funded by the social protection multi-donor trust fund including the World Bank.
