The The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) on Thursday launched a Scaling-up Locally led Adaptation and Transforming Humanitarian Responses to Climate Change 3-yr project, which is supported financially by U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance
Launched in Lilongwe, The overall aim of this project is to support communities to reduce their climate-related risks and adapt to climate change.
Speaking during the launch, minister of natural resources and climate change Dr Michael Usi said the programme aligns to the Malawi Vision 2063 Enabler number 7 on Environmental Sustainability of which talks about developing systems to break the cycle of environmental degradation and increase resilience.
“As you are well aware, Climate Change is recognized as one of the biggest challenges that humanity is facing today. It has serious implications for economic development, food security and poverty eradication for developing countries especially for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) like Malawi.
“Evidence shows that all of Malawi’s socioeconomic sectors have been, and will continue to be, affected by climate change. This development has serious and negative implications for the livelihoods of the Malawian people, on the ecosystems and social and economic development.
“Addressing climate change is not only a topic of discussions for Government. Time has now come for everyone and all stakeholders to take an active role in addressing this global issue to save the planet and our country Malawi in particular
“Government alone, cannot achieve the goals and targets in the National climate Change Policy and related strategies. Allow me therefore, to once again call on all key stakeholders in the country, including development partners, civil society, private sector, academia, and our active youths to take part supporting and implementation of the National Climate Policy and related strategies that enhances building adaptive capacity and resilience of our communities,” he said
The project will be implemented in three districts in the Southern Region namely; Phalombe, Mulanje who will lead the way in identifying the adaptation solutions they need for the climate impacts that are threatening their lives and livelihoods, now and in the future.
USAID deputy mission director for Malawi, Michael Rossman said the project will help the country which in the past few decades, has experienced increasingly extreme weather.
“Cyclones, flooding, and droughts are exacerbated by climate change, natural resource depletion, and a rapidly growing population; and are an increasing threat to human life, health, agriculture, and property.
“Since 2019, tropical cyclones have killed more than 1,000 Malawians and destroyed countless homes and crops. At the same time, droughts have reduced food production and threatened biodiversity and livelihoods. The project is designed to help to bolster the ability of some of the most vulnerable communities in Malawi to reduce their climate-related risks and adapt to climate change.
“To achieve this, our project will help strengthen the capacity of the Malawi Red Cross Society, one of Malawi’s leading humanitarian organizations, enabling them to help vulnerable communities mitigate climate risks and adapt to a changing climate risks and boost access to help finance their climate plans,” he said
MRCS director of programs and development Prisca Chisala said the programme’s implementation is inphases , with the first phase focusing on a national risk assessment and climatesmart screening of MRCS programmes, policies and strategies.
“The second phase is meant to support the communities in the three districts to come up with Locally Led adaptation actions to mitigate their climate risks whileworking in partnership with the government and other stakeholders.
“we anticipate that by the end of this programme, we will have contributed to reduced vulnerability to climate change impacts through improvedsocial, economic and ecological resilience, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased awareness of climate change impacts, adaptation andmitigation measures, enhanced capacity to implement climate change relatedinterventions and climate change and its cross-cutting issues mainstreamed indevelopment policies and in planning, development, coordination and monitoring of key relevant sectors,” she said
