People participating in the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in 17 catchment areas in Zomba, where participating communities do cash-for-work environmental conservation and agriculture-related activities, have hailed the initiative for improving their livelihoods.
In a recent tour, the media was taken to Thondwe Upper and Linjidzi in Thondwe Extension Planning Area (EPA) at Senior Chief Mlumbe, where participating communities adopted and practised climate-smart agricultural technologies to check land degradation while improving food production.
Climate Smart Extension Worker in Zomba, Chimwemwe Chimbaza Sagona, said CS-EPWP participants adopted the best environmental conservation and agricultural practices in the wake of climate change effects.
She disclosed that the 19,657 community members will soon receive K48,000 each after participating in various cash-for-work activities in the 17 catchments.
Sagona said that in the third phase, participating communities are expected to plant tree seedlings which are currently in their nurseries
She added that it is impressive that communities and their local leaders formulate by-laws that will help to sustain CS-EPWP activities once the programme phases out.
“Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme mobilises communities to conserve the environment while practising climate-smart agricultural technologies for improved and sustainable food production,” she said.
Thondwe Upper Catchment Area, Chairperson Kingsley Malishe said communities in the area make swales, check dams, and stone bands to stop soil erosion and other forms of land degradation, planting vetiver grass apart from raising seedlings in nurseries for afforestation.
Since 2022, Malishe explained that 536 people have been participating in CS-EPWP in Upper Thondwe Catchment such that 304 participants are women whose livelihoods have also been improved following stable household income and improved food crop production after adopting climate-smart agricultural technologies in their friends.
A participant from Linjidzi Catchment Area, Mwai Lameck, hailed CS-EPWP for facilitating ways and means of conserving the environment and for mobilising communities to adopt climate-smart agricultural technologies that are priced to be game changers.
“I do small-scale business that also helps me to send my children to school. I also constructed a house for decent accommodation,” she explained.
Lameck said he will continue with best agricultural practices adopted from the CS-EPWP to ensure food security at the household level.
