WFP/DAPP Malawi mitigating the impact of climate change.
In order to mitigate the impact of climate change as well as improve the composition of soils in traditional authority Kunthembwe in Blantyre, WFP in collaboration with DAPP Malawi is working with communities to plant trees. Some of the trees being planted is Albizia Lebbeck locally known as Mtanga tanga which possesses properties of nitrogen fixing in the soil. The communities have so far planted over seven hundred trees with some still in the nursery Monica Changoyima from Jekeseni village says that the engagement with the organization started when some of the community members were selected as beneficiaries of the distribution. Some of the most vulnerable members of the community are beneficiaries of the food distribution from WFP.
“DAPP Malawi noticed that as much as we had trees in the nursery we did not have the right agro forestry skills to care for the trees. So they came in with instructions on how we should plant the trees,” Changoyima. According to the Monica Changoyima the members of the community have been empowered with knowledge on the benefits of planting trees and having forests. She says that most people are now aware of the importance of trees in the rain cycle.
“If we have a lot of trees in the forest we are increasing the chances of having good rainfall. Due to the destruction of forests the country has experienced changes in the climatic conditions,” states Changoyima. The women also realize that due to the unavailability of energy alternatives people are always going to rely on firewood for energy. This will have a great effect on the environment as well as increase their drudgery as they fetch for wood for various house hold uses. The organization has also introduced fuel serving stoves in the communities in order for the communities to reduce the amount of wood they use.
