People in Chikwawa say the Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works Programme has the potential to mitigate the impact of climate change in the district.

Maria Supada, a resident, said in an interview on Saturday that she was motivated to participate in the programme because her family is affected by floods and strong winds.

“Some months ago, floods and strong winds destroyed my brother’s house. If we had planted more trees around our compound, this would not have happened,” she said.

Supada also said floods washed away her vegetable garden when she was about to start harvesting.

Some of the trees planted through the Public Works Programme

“It was painful to see that all my hard work was just in vain. I do not want to go through this experience again. So, I will work hard to achieve the programme’s goals,” she said.

Chikwawa District Council senior land conservation resources officer Ackim Dickson said the programme is important because the district is prone to disasters.

He said: “We are promoting various interventions such as afforestation and natural forest regeneration to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“Again, other interventions such as soil and water conservation, rainwater harvesting and soil fertility improvement will improve food production in the district.”

The World Bank-funded programme is a component of Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project

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