Turning a curse into a blessing (The
Daily Times Tuesday 4th March, 2008)
by Charles MkokaAnnually from January through March, inhabitants of the Lower Shire districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje either lose their property or their crops are washed away by flood waters. This is a major recurring challenge for the people; the majority earn their living from agriculture. .. expectations of hope are washed away from the minds of the people during rainfall peak periods.
...the water collected from Shire highlands ends up sub-merging the area. As a result, the livelihood of the local people is severely affected, communications hampered and strategic operations brought to a standstill...climate scientists had predicated...above average rainfall.
“We have been victims of floods for decades; as a result we have lost both property and crops. Others think that our major aim is to benefit from hand outs during this time of the year but that is not the case. This has been our ancestors' land since time immemorial,”
...Experts say the problems facing the Lower Shire and Dzimphutsi area are climate-related. They argue that deforestation and massive environmental degradation has resulted in reduced forest cover that protect the environment from direct rain drops, resulting in deep gullies being created.
“The loss of rich natural catchment protection - to secure river banks and ensure that water sinks in the soil - is a climate change related challenge. This was aggravated in 1980’s and 1990’s when people misinterpreted democracy, meaning they could wantonly cut down trees mercilessly,” says a veteran environmental expert Alic Kafasalire...
...Recently, during a visit to the area President Bingu wa Mutharika urged victims to relocate to safe areas. He also advised residents to utilise the flood prone areas for farming, adding that they stand to benefit.“Moving upland would secure your lives while you could use the flooded areas for farming after the floods. So you would benefit from two worlds,”
..the Malawi government and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) regional water sector programme are moving from just being penitent. They have signed an agreement -- towards harnessing floodwater to improve people’s livelihood in the Dzimphutsi area -- through such activities as irrigation, fish farming, livestock production and flood control.
The initiative will...possibly include the construction of a small-scale dam on Mkuzi stream near Dzimphutsi village to trap floodwater...Sadc water division has initiated four other demonstration projects at regional level. Four of these demonstration projects are in the Zambezi basin countries namely – Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.
This is in line with the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM), an approach for managing water resources that was endorsed by Sadc member states including Malawi.
Sadc heads of state and government in 2003 recognised the relevant provisions of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the concepts of environmentally sound management, sustainable development and equitable utilisation of shared watercourses.
The idea is to demonstrate that water – including “problem water” - can be managed and developed in a manner that maximises the economic and social welfare without compromising the environment.
...key aspects of IWRM and its relevance to social and economic development in the Sadc region. The idea is to change the mindset that flood waters, can be managed and put to good use.
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