28-06-2016 | di COOPI

To help communities exposed to disasters in Malawi

COOPI and the EU team to help hazard-exposed communities in Malawi

 

COOPI (Cooperazione Internazionale) is starting a new programme with support of the European Commission in Malawi's Salima and Mangochi districts. The project will help strengthen the emergency preparedness and resilience of communities that are regularly affected by droughts and other natural disasters in these districts.

The impact of the floods that hit Malawi at the beginning of 2015 have been worsened by a premature end of rains and a subsequent period of drought, all resulting in a 27% decrease in agricultural production. At least 2.8 million people are now food insecure and in need of assistance. In Salima and Mangochi districts, floods have mainly affected crops and fields, depriving the population of their livelihood and exacerbating an already chronic situation of food insecurity and malnutrition.

In partnership with the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), COOPI will help the most vulnerable people in both districts to better deal with climate-induced shocks by better preparing them for disasters and improving their food and livelihood security. This will contribute to national led initiatives for the promotion of durable and holistic solutions by linking relief, rehabilitation and development actions.

The activities aim to reach 20,850 people with a series of community-based climate change adaptation interventions such as disaster risk reduction, climate smart agriculture practices, early warning systems, irrigation, livestock management, hazard and vulnerability mapping but also human-wildlife conflict management. The program includes a crisis modifier that will enable COOPI to respond to rapid onset disasters within the first 72 hours of occurrence, in Salima, Mangochi and nearby districts.

COOPI, in this first phase of the project, has managed to conduct dialogue meetings with the local authorities of the two respective districts which saw the participation of all government departments as well as civil society organisations. At the national level, COOPI held a meeting with the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) in an effort to align the project objectives with government efforts.