People tout Plan resilience project
People of Traditional Authority Njewa in Lilongwe say Plan International Malawi’s Resilience to Climate Change Project has transformed their lives.
The organisation launched the project in 2017 to cushion people from the shocks of climate change.
Margaret Symon, a beneficiary, said the organisation taught her climate smart agriculture technologies.
“Through technologies such as pit-planting and conservation farming, I am able to harvest much yield to take me through the year,” she said.
Symon also said the project introduced a village savings and loans (VSL) component that has empowered people economically.
She said: “I joined a VSL group which helped me to save money.
“After sharing the savings, I bought goats which have multiplied.”
Another beneficiary Violet Likinala, who isKakungu Irrigation Scheme member, said she is now able to pay school fees for her children with proceeds from onion sales.
In his remarks, Ukwe Agriculture Extension development coordinator Boston Makwemba said the project has achieved a lot in the area.
“Families have improved economically and farmers have adopted new farming practices which have led to more produce,” he said.
Plan International Malawi project manager Allan Nhlazi said they wanted to address the effects of climate change through improved environmental conservation, nutrition and economic empowerment in the area.
“We have seen that people’s lives have improved because some have bought assets through VSL,” he said.
Plan InternationalMalawi ranKakungu Climate Change Adaptation Projectfrom 2017 to 2019. The organisationis now implementing Learning from Kakungu Community Project from 2019 to July this year.
