Machinga, Malawi – A new climate-smart farming strategy is set to strengthen food security, improve nutrition and build resilience among vulnerable families in six districts of Malawi following its validation by partners implementing the Climate Resilient Health and Well-being for Rural Communities (CHWBRC) project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The strategy will support implementation in Mangochi, Machinga, Balaka, Ntcheu, Zomba and Phalombe, districts that continue to face climate-related challenges including droughts, floods and declining agricultural productivity.
The framework was jointly developed by Save the Children International, the Catholic Health Commission (CHC) of the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB), the Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM), and the Government of Malawi through the Ministries of Agriculture and Gender, and the Department of Nutrition.
It was finalized through two stakeholder workshops held from 8–10 July in Balaka and 13–15 July in Machinga.
Speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the Machinga workshop, Khadija Saidi, Technical Lead for the GCF Project at Save the Children International, said the strategy was developed after reviewing the IHF manual and conducting assessments in targeted villages across the six districts.
“The IHF strategy that we have been working on for the past three days is a significant milestone considering the steps that have brought us here,” Saidi said.
She explained that the assessments helped ensure that the strategy responds to the specific needs, strengths and capacities of each district rather than applying a single approach.
“We are not making just one generic strategy. We are taking time to make sure that all interventions within the IHF approach are tailor-made to the needs, strengths and capacities of each district,” she said.
Saidi said strong stakeholder participation, including government involvement, demonstrated ownership and commitment towards sustaining the initiative beyond the project period.
Reverend Father Patrick Kamba, Director of Social Development at MCCB, said the initiative highlights the importance of partnerships in addressing the effects of climate change on health and nutrition.
“The purpose of bringing stakeholders together was to develop home-grown solutions that respond to the health and nutrition challenges induced by climate change,” Fr. Kamba said.
He said collaboration between government, communities and development partners will help families adopt sustainable farming practices that can continue beyond the lifespan of the project.
Meanwhile, Mathias Nkhoma, Assistant Director for Horticulture in the Ministry of Agriculture, described integrated homestead farming as a practical approach that combines crops, vegetables, fruit trees, livestock and, where possible, fish production to improve household nutrition.
The CHWBRC project, with a total budget of US$37 million supported mainly by the Green Climate Fund, will work through existing government and community structures to strengthen resilience among vulnerable households over the next five years.
The validated strategy now provides a roadmap for coordinated implementation of climate-resilient farming interventions across the six target districts.
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