Communities erect dykes to mitigate floods
Communities in Nsanje and Phalombe districts have embarked on an exercise that seeks to mitigate floods affecting their farms.
In Nsanje, the people are using sand and sacks to construct local dykes along Ruo River to block water from flooding and to boost their irrigation schemes.
will protect farms
A lead farmer from Sizanna Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlolo in Nsanje, WysonThenifodi, said the dykes will be supported by vertiva grass around them.
“Every year our farms are swept away by floods. Therefore, we hope the dykes will protect our farms from being washed away,” he said.
In Phalombe, the community around Chipalanje Mountain in T/A Kaduya is digging trenches to mitigate floods’ impact.
Lead farmer DivasonMasikini from Chabuka Village said the exercise has come at the right time just before the rainy season.
“There are 333 of us participating in cash for work programme to protect our farms from floods,” he said.
The farmers are also digging trenches to control run-off from the hills during rainy season.
Oxfam is supporting the exercise with cash for work under its Emergency and Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods (EFSVL)programme.
EFSVL team leader TapiwaJamu said the programme seeks to restore and sustain livelihoods of flood victims in Nsanje and Phalombe districts.
