People in Sub-Traditional Authority Masache in Chikwawa District have bemoaned lack of timely information and equipment to alert communities of impending disasters such as floods.
This came to light on Friday during a biannual monitoring and education visit by the Association of Environmental Journalists and Civil Society Network on Climate Change (Cisonecc) as part of the Climate and Disaster Risk Management Advocacy Project.
Mako Advocacy Group member Mary Tsoka from Traditional Authority Masache said the lack of tools hinders the progress of advocacy in information sharing.
She said: “We do not have transport means such as motorcycles or bicycles and equipment like megaphones to reach people with warning messages when disasters strike.
“Only when floods occur, do authorities arrive. However, in the absence of disasters, we are not even acknowledged.”
Cisonecc national coordinator Julius Ng’oma said their project seeks to strengthen the capacity of local communities, civil society organisations and key stakeholders to engage meaningfully in disaster risk management.
He said: “We wanted to understand the progress made in advancing disaster risk management issues at community and district levels.
“So, we also assessed how stakeholders are utilising the knowledge they gained under the project to advance disaster risk management initiatives.”
Circle for Integrated Community Development programme support officer Kumbukani Rashid, whose organisation is implementing the project along with Cisonecc and Catholic Development Commission in Malawi, said they are helping communities in managing disasters by promoting environmental conservation efforts.
“By promoting afforestation, reforestation and environmental friendly mbaula to ensure that people are using fewer firewood for cooking, we hope to lessen the pressure on trees,” he said.
Dolo Extension Planning Area officer McKnight Sakhulani said shifting weather patterns were making it difficult for farmers and communities to harvest more
