‘Introduce incentives to preserve environment’
The Leadership for Environment and Development (Lead) Southern Africa has asked stakeholders in the Shire River Basin Management Programme to introduce incentives to people involved in the restoration of the shire river’s ecosystem.
Lead programme director for Southern and Eastern Africa, who is also Lake Chilwa Climate Change Adaptation Programme (LCCCAP) coordinator, Professor Sosten Chiotha, said in a recent interview the incentives will motivate people to be committed to the work.
“People sacrifice their time to make ecology activities such as tree-planting work at the expense of their lives hence the need for incentives.
“We could replicate what happens in the Public Works Programmes where people are paid for some road rehabilitation works.
“People can be warned of the danger of using land unsustainably for example, but in fact, they need to survive hence, they end up indulging in activities that damage the environment. This would better be solved by incentives,” said Chiotha.
The Shire River Basin Management Programme is set to rehabilitate and manage targeted sub-catchments, including upper Lisungwi in Ntcheu, upper Mkulumadzi in Neno, Chingale area in Zomba and upstream of Kapichira Falls on the side of Blantyre.
The project will also improve the ecological management in protected areas, among them Lengwe and Liwonde national parks, Tsamba and Eastern Escarpment forests in Neno and Mangochi Forest in Mangochi.
