The Mwapata Institute says 25 444 livestock units estimated at K1.36 billion were lost during the Cyclone Ana in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts.

In its April 2022 Cyclone Ana Impacts on Livelihoods and Agricultural Systems: Experiences and voices from Chikwawa and Nsanje Districts Policy Brief, the institute said the floods had a negative impact on the agriculture sector in the area.

Many livestock were lost in homes like this one

Reads the policy brief in part: “A total of 17 fish ponds in Nsanje and 92 fish ponds in Chikwawa district were affected. Most ponds suffered damage on the inlet and outlet, and most fish were swept away by the flood.

“Eleven irrigation schemes in Chikwawa and 98 irrigation schemes in Nsanje were affected. Reports from the District Agriculture Offices indicated that the floods resulted in the siltation of dams, destruction of irrigation canals, and washing away of delivery. In terms of agriculture, district agriculture officials revealed that floods come with many opportunities for crop production.”

With climate change, the institute has warned that occurrence, frequency and severity of floods in the districts is likely to continue.

“There is, therefore, need to implement a permanent resettlement scheme for households in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts, especially in flood-prone areas. The relocated households should have the opportunity to maintain their lands in low lying areas for cultivation.”

In an earlier interview, Department of Disaster Management Affairs spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula said the department needs to carry out disaster risk reduction [DRR] interventions such as construction of dykes, river dredging and others which have no budget under Dodma at the moment.

“DRR interventions will minimise disaster impacts and, therefore, cut on financial needs for responding to disasters.”

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