The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) has expressed concern over the low uptake of weather and climate information among Malawians, saying limited understanding continues to expose communities to preventable risks.
Speaking in Salima on Monday during the opening of a four-day training for journalists under Association of Environmental Journalists (AEJ) and Network of Climate Journalists (NCJ), DCCMS Deputy Director responsible for Weather Observation and Forecasting, Charles Vanya, said many people still struggle to use the information they receive, despite its growing importance in an agro-based economy like Malawi’s.
“Weather is the driving factor of our economy because Malawi is agro-based. But the challenge we face is that most people don’t really understand the information they receive. This means they cannot use it effectively to make informed decisions,” Vanya said.
He said poor interpretation of weather updates often leads to missed opportunities in agriculture and poor preparedness against climate-induced disasters.
“For the public to make use of weather and climate information, it has to be presented in a language and manner that they understand. That is why we are working closely with journalists—to help translate complex data into information that makes sense to the people,” he added.
Vanya said journalists are key in bridging the gap between scientific experts and the public, ensuring that vital forecasts reach farmers, traders, and communities in a usable format. DCCMS User Engagement Expert Callison Lore echoed the concern, stating that a 2024 survey by the department revealed many journalists lacked adequate training to accurately interpret and communicate climate information.
“If journalists themselves don’t understand the context of what DCCMS presents, then their audiences will also struggle to make sense of it,” Lore said. “That’s why we developed this training to build the capacity of journalists so they can help improve public understanding and trust in weather information,” Lore added.
Improving information uptake is a gradual process that requires consistent collaboration between the media and technical experts. “It’s not enough to just present information. The real impact comes when people can interpret it, trust it, and use it to make decisions that protect their livelihoods,” he said.
The four-day training aims to enhance journalists’ ability to simplify weather and climate information, helping communities across Malawi to better understand, trust, and act on updates that affect their everyday lives.
