A local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Christian Aid, will implement the Bamboo Value Chain Enterprise Development Project targeting 2000 households in proposed areas of Kambulire, Maweru, Mwanamanga, Chimeza, Mwambule, Kathumba and Mlesha, under Mvera EPA in Dowa district.
Cristian Aid Is also implementing a similar project in Lilongwe and Salima addressing the underdevelopment of the Bamboo sector in Malawi in collaboration with District Forestry Officers and local extension workers for maximum results.
The organization said the project is addressing a lack of skill and equipment among local artisans for value addition and processing, a lack of knowledge about the creation of value to the product, and access to markets, among others.
Presenting the project to the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, Christian Aid’s Programme Specialist Robert Thindwa, said the project has an objective of contributing to wealth creation for 2000 Bamboo value chain actors through increased incomes from Bamboo value addition, market access and financial linkages.
Thindwa said the project will enhance rural livelihoods through increased incomes and sustainable job creation building strong partnerships and ensuring long-term sustainability.
He said the project will engage skilled artisans as Bamboo champions for skill transmission to new areas with access to bamboo, train youth and women in the production of unique bamboo products and GIS mapping of degraded areas that need restoration and the whole bamboo value chain processes.
The Specialist said the project will demand the creation of Bamboo products through awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagements, support the establishment of bamboo products and business-to-business skills training to local bamboo community clubs and artisans.
“The project will facilitate the formation of the National Bamboos Association of Malawi and the formation of Village Savings and Loans (VSLA) activities among bamboo community clubs,” said Thindwa.
He said the project will work hand in hand with its key partners, such as Green Livelihoods (GL), focusing on agricultural and green value-chain development, and and Christian Aid Malawi to provide expertise in value-chain development and donor connections in collaboration with the involvement of bamboo artisans.
Thindwa said on sustainability, the project is banking on the hope of knowledge sharing and dissemination of lessons learned to encourage broader adoption and close implementation with the office of the District Officer and local ownerships.
In his remarks, Dowa District Council’s Acting Chief Planning Officer, Yusuf Laki advised all new partners and old partners to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Council and the CSO Network for the district to enhance cooperation, transparency and accountability.
The Bamboo Value Chain Enterprise Development project will be implemented from September 2024 to August 2026 in the three districts: Lilongwe, Salima and Dowa, and Dowa alone will get a budget of 125,000 Great Britain pounds.
