Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works Programme participants in Neno District say the programme has improved their livelihoods through wages and their building capacity to engage in smallholder farming.
One of the participants, Elube Menyani from George Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chekucheku, said after receiving wages for the second cycle, she invested in farming.
“After receiving K38 000, I bought fertiliser, Irish potato seeds, vegetable seeds and maize to plant,” she said.
Menyani, who works under Chiwale Catchment Area, said he is hoping to earn about K250 000 after harvesting the produce.
Another participant, Stanford Kamenula, said he used his earnings to invest in livestock farming.
“This is just the beginning. I hope to expand my livestock farming to provide a better life for my family. “he said.
The project facilitator for Neno, Chrissy Kamanga, said the programme has produced good economic results apart from communities’ adoption of sustainable catchment management.
She said participants work for 30 paid days and 10 days for community contribution and receive K48 000.
“There are a lot of positive outcomes from the programme such as soil and water conservation,” she said.
In Neno, 14 228 participants take part in 14 catchments where they are engaged in soil and water conservation, river bank protection and forest establishment and management.
Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works Programme is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Project, a Malawi Government project funded by the Multi Donor Trust Fund and the World Bank.
National Local Government Finance Committee facilitates the programme in all the country’s 28 district councils.
