Communities in Lilongwe and Salima districts have called for modern energy solutions to help mitigate the impact of climate change.
They said this on Saturday in Lilongwe during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by Civil Society Network on Climate Change (Cisonecc) under the Promoting Equitable Access to Clean Energy (Peace) Project supported by the European Union and Oxfam in Malawi.
In his remarks, group village head Gubu of Traditional Authority Tsabango in Lilongwe said his subjects were waiting for power connections under the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep 9) to access clean energy.
“My subjects do not want to rely on charcoal or firewood as fuel sources. Therefore, we ask for authorities to speed up electricity connections through Marep 9,” he said.
On his part, GVH Mkhukhi of Salima called for deliberate efforts to expand access to cleaner cooking and heating technologies in rural communities.
“Besides connecting houses to the national grid, champions of clean energy can provide other alternatives to charcoal or firewood,” he said.
Salima district forestry extension officer Harry Gift Wizzley said limited access to modern energy sources is putting significant pressure on the environment.
“When clean energy options remain out of reach, people continue cutting down trees. Expanding modern alternatives is necessary for the environment and for healthy living,” he said.
Lilongwe District Council monitoring and evaluation officer Blessings Makhilinga emphasised the need for sustainable energy initiatives and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure long-term benefits for communities.
Cisonecc national coordinator Julius Ng’oma said the engagements are helping district authorities understand energy reforms and identify barriers that slow down electricity connectivity and adoption of clean energy.
“Access to electricity is crucial for economic growth and climate-resilient livelihoods. We must remove every challenge that delays connectivity and clean energy adoption,” he said.
The meeting brought together representatives from government ministries, civil society and the private sector
