Malawi

Approach for the Open NAP for Malawi

Guiding principles

• The NAP is the main vehicle for adaptation planning for the country, and encompasses activities at all relevant scales and levels, from the regional (multi-country level) to the national, sectoral, sub-national and local levels, including for specific municipalities. All recent adaptation strategies and plans will thus be included in the NAP as a master plan for adaptation, indicating what is ongoing and what remains to be addressed. [S/T reporting]

• As a country with limited resources, most adaptation projects will be funded through international sources, with very little dependence on national budgets, at least to begin with. During implementation, activities will need to be well aligned and integrated with sectoral activities funded by government. [Link to GCF Country Programme]

• There are many reporting channels under the UNFCCC and the Paris agreement that require information on adaptation (priorities, key vulnerabilities, adaptation actions, capacity gaps and needs, etc). The work under the process of formulating and implementing the NAP will provide the central basis for adaptation assessment and prioritization, and will inform all necessary reporting on adaptation, in particular, the update of the NDCs by 2020, and future national communications/transparency reports. [NAP informing Draft NDC in 2020]

• The NAP road map for Malawi includes all activities that contribute to adaptation planning and the NAP in particular since the advent of the NAP decisions in 2010/11, and this is designed to be the guiding rail for all adaptation activities for the country and is the basis for support being received by all those in a position to do so. The recently funded NAP formulation proposal under the GCF Readiness Support is naturally a major form of financial support and will be used to continue the work of analysis, assessment, implementation and further planning. Support from others continues to be very critical for the success of adaptation efforts for the country. [Road Map]

• The office of the UNFCCC Focal Point, housed in the Environmental Affairs Department, is the current custodian of work on the NAP and will continue to work with all relevant ministries, organizations and actors as necessary, maintaining and running the continuing process of adaptation monitoring, assessment and planning, the support the periodic production of NAPs. [National mandate, CC policy/law, Data Policy, coherence with other MEAs]

• The NAP is a living document and will continue to be updated as the need arises, with a view to producing a formal updated version every 5 years. By the same vein, all intermediate outputs (stocktaking report, road map, assessment reports, framework document, monitoring and evaluation plans, climate investment strategy, etc) will remain living documents and will be updated as new information and new insights arise. [Wiki collection of documents for easy update, later morph into a DIVA – dynamic impacts, vuln and adaptation system]

• The NAP follows the UNFCCC technical guidelines for the NAP process, and the collection of supplements to these guidelines as developed by different organizations and available on NAP Central.

• Applies the NAP-SDG iFrame to manage multiple entry points and coherence with various frameworks being addressed including the SDGs, Sendai Framework, New Urban Agenda, Africa 2063, and relevant national strategies.

• There are several major assessments conducted in the last 5 years, and the approach taken is not to promote yet another vulnerability and risk assessment, rather to build on available information and identify any obvious gaps if any. The concept of risk is adapted, following good examples from countries and organizations that have developed recent guidelines, including New Zealand, and OECD.

• The traditional approach of arriving at projects as the main outcome of these assessments is improved upon by identifying appropriate methods and metrics that in fact support a risk-based approach.

Building on the unfunded PPCR/SPCR

There are several ongoing projects and programmes that address adaptation to climate change in Malawi, as well as main development objectives. The NAP will build on these projects and scale up efforts as appropriate.

One approach to make progress on the NAP would be to build on the PPCR/SPCR that was produced in November 2017, but for which CIF/PPCR funding dried up and is now left to find alternative funding sources. The PPCR/SPCR focused on three important sectors of agriculture, fisheries and water resources, and presents five priority programmes to implement proposed adaptation activities. The process of developing the SPCR are similar to that of the NAP, and follow good practice in ensuring full participation of stakeholders, gender responsiveness, and builds on national development priorities.

The National Context

(This section will describe key determinants of development for Malawi, focusing on economic, environment and social well being-being)

- Economics: key drivers of economic development, agro-economy, tobacco, tea, sugar, etc. - Environment: severe degradation due to conversion to low-production ag, charcoal-making, etc ... unique freshwater ecosystem in Lake Malawi, special wildlife reserves important for biodiversity conservation and also tourism, important migration stop overs for birds; Mulanje cedar; vegetation cover over important watersheds and rivers severely degraded impacting the hydrological cycle etc - Social well-being: poverty and extreme poverty levels and trends ...; low urbanization; gender, youth/demographic structure and changes

Climate Summary

Historical Climate

Observations since 1960 indicate:

• Temperature increases of approximately 0.9°C, with the most rapid increase in summer months (Dec–Feb), between 1960 and 2006.
• Increase in the number of days (+30 days) and nights (+41 days) considered “hot.”
• Highly variable year-to-year rainfall totals with no statistically significant trends.
• Increased length of dry spells during the rainy season.
• Increased intensity, frequency and magnitude of floods and droughts.

Projected Future Climate

• Higher average temperatures of 1–3°C by 2050, with largest increases in early summer months.
• Increase in the number of days and nights considered “hot” by 2060.
• Overall increases or decreases in rainfall difficult to project.
• Later onset/earlier cessation of rainy season.
• Increase in average monthly rainfall from Dec–Jan and a decrease from Feb–April.
• Increases in the proportion of rainfall during extreme events of up to 19 percent annually by 2090.

Source: USAID 2017. Climate change risk profile Malawi.Fact Sheet.

Key climatic hazards

• Prolonged Drought/dry spells
• Global and regional drought spells
• Torrential rainfall/Change (increase) in frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events
• Local storm events
• Global and regional storm events
• Lightning
• Hot spells/temperature extremes
• Shifting (rainfall/growing) seasons
• Increase in temperatures
• Non-normal annual weather
• Pests and diseases outbreaks associated with climate events
• Disruption of national, regional and global food supply chains
• Wildfire

Recent impacts of climate variability and change

• After heavy rains on the 9th, on 10 February 2017 flooding along the Lingadzi River in Lilongwe City directly affected 2,000 people living along the river, especially in Area 49 Gulliver, Shire, Senti, Area 47 sector 4, Area 14, Area 46 and Mtandile. Most of the city of Lilongwe was affected, as connecting roads were impassable. People were stranded in the middle of the floods, with more than 20 people requiring rescue by the Malawi Defense Force (by helicopter), and many were displaced. Immediate disaster recovery took at least two months.

• Cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira city, Mozambique, on March 14, 2019, as a Category 2 storm. Its heavy rains and strong winds led to flash flooding, hundreds of deaths, and massive destruction of property and crops. Less than six weeks later, on April 25, Cyclone Kenneth dealt a hard blow to northern Mozambique about 600 miles north of Idai’s impact zone. Catastrophic flooding from the two storms affected close to 2.2 million people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. Idai and Kenneth were two of the top five worst storms to ever hit Mozambique. Together, they’ve caused an unprecedented amount of damage. (https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2019-cyclone-idai-facts)

• Distant disasters for example Hurricane Katrina in 2004 …

• 2019 heat wave

• Shifts in growing seasons over the last ~15 years

• Drought in 2002 …

Collection of Adaptation Systems for Adaptation analysis

Table of comprehensive list of systems for Malawi

Synthesis of available information on key impacts of climate change

The following is a selection of published syntheses of recent impacts (simple and complex/cascades)

Insert Table of recent disasters

The 2001 Food crisis

The 2006 Food crisis

Short-listed systems for the first iteration of the NAP

A: SYSTEM: Urban flooding as a planning system

1. System name: Urban flooding management system

2. Brief description:

The design of cities takes into account some measures for drainage of rainwater, often in open or underground spillovers that carry water to natural waterways/rivers, or some cases, into sewer lines. As climate is changing and when rainfall becomes more intense, drainage systems are often inadequate resulting in urban flooding.

3. Current constraints (factors of production etc):

• Drainage channels designed with a maximum flow in mind

• In some cases, no consideration was given to drainage of excess rainwater, especially in unplanned settled areas

• Densely settled areas make it hard or impossible to install or modify drainage channels

• Old drainage systems expensive to upgrade or repair

4. Risks now and in the future (CC and others):

• Risk of flooding locally during heavy rainstorms

• Risk of failure of older drainage lines/blockages leaving to backflows and flooding

• Risk of levees failing and causing flooding

• Risk of dams failing and causing flooding downriver/dams overflowing and gates having to be reopened urgently, leaving to flooding

• Risk of loss of life when people unfamiliar with flood waters take chances in crossing overflowing bridges, etc

• Risk of flooding in human settlements/houses and business areas

• Risk of drainage system failure contaminating drinking water systems

• For cities at mouth of major river systems (coastal cities), risk of heavy rain in any arts of the watershed leaving to flooding downriver in the city

5. Adaptation options to address the CC risks:

• Upgrade old drainage systems and expand capacity

• Build underground storm water storage areas (e.g. water storage under the Washington Mall, in Washington DC, USA; Bangkok City) and optionally pumps to redirect water to alternative outlets (e.g. Tokyo example)

• Upgrade flow channels to re-direct storm water to parks in the city (e.g. Copenhagen)

• Redirect river flows towards coastal cities to alternative channels into the sea to reduce flooding (e.g. Nadi, Fiji)

• Slow down river flows with dams or other structures along the river, to reduce flooding in coastal cities

• Build levees

• Build walls around important infrastructure (e.g. around a museum)

• Builds walls around coastal cities (NY – xxx)

6. Required other actions to ensure adaptation is successful (e.g. baseline development investments, etc):

• Enforce zoning laws for city dwellings to avoid flooding damage of houses

• Develop evacuation plans and conduct drills

• Plan cities to include soakways, directed drainage channels, etc

7. Adaptation potential rating

• Medium?

B: SYSTEM: Crop production

1. System name: Crop Production

2. Brief description:

This is the basic system of growing crops, choice of which would be based on standard parameters of weather patterns, general site suitability (soil, land quality), mainly based on rainfall patterns, and subject to regular pests and diseases. Main crops are subsistence crops, and choice is sometimes based on market conditions.

System model/analytical model:

Well-developed analytical model exists based on the IIASA/FAO Agroecological Zoning (AEZ) system, and it has been parameterized to run for the whole globe, covering all major crops. Nationally specific models exist such as for Kenya (original developed of the AEZ methodology), China and Thailand. The Global AEZ system is available online and has been applied to various global questions.

<Key references>

3. Current constraints (factors of production etc):

• Rainfall patterns

• Quality of inputs (fertilizer, mechanization, extension services)

• Quality and suitability of seed (provenance) for changing conditions

4. Risks now and in the future (CC and others):

• Risk of crop failing due to changing growing season weather conditions (floods, drought/aridity, changed patterns affecting phenological development, etc)

• Risk of low yield due to poor inputs (limited fertilizer input)

• Risk of crop failure due to pest outbreaks, such as locust, fall army worms, etc

5. Adaptation options to address the CC risks:

• Changing crop types and provenances (to crops maturing in a shorter growth season, drought-tolerant varieties) – these may require new breeding programmes

• Improve water management through irrigation, damming, etc to reduce dependence on rain-fed production

• Managing the full range of risks with a combination of actions and insurance at the local or national level

• Dealing with extreme temperatures to avoid frost damage, and dessication

6. Required other actions to ensure adaptation is successful (e.g. baseline development investments, etc):

• Data driven crop production system that utilizes best available climate information services

• National insurance through ARC to manage risk of major crop failure and avoid food insecuty disaster

• Crop breeding, data collection and monitoring to support extension services and support to farmers, manage pests and diseases

7. Adaptation potential rating

• Medium to high

C. SYSTEM: Crop commodity: Maize

1. System name: Crop production/crop commodity: Maize

2. Brief description:

Maize is the main staple food for Malawi, and its production is shared between subsistence farmers, small-scale (commercial) farmers and a few big estates. Maize import/export is strictly controlled by government, in order to manage the price of maize on the market, given the heavy reliance of most rural inhabitants on their maize production for livelihood (food, income, employment). Maize is sold at local markets and also through state-run ADMARC centers. Private business owners also deal in maize, buying and selling at opportune times. Government buys maize at a fixed price through the ADMARC centers and subsidizes sale of the maize during times of shortage. The national strategic food reserve holds an inventory of maize and would release maize into the market in times of shortage to help manage the overall price of maize. The annual cycle of maize marketing is described in a paper by JICA …XXX

3. Current constraints (factors of production etc):

• Rainfall patterns/growing season characteristics and quality

• Quality of inputs (fertilizer, mechanization, extension services)

• Quality and suitability of seed (provenance) for changing conditions

4. Risks now and in the future (CC and others):

• Risk of crop failing due to changing growing season weather conditions (floods, drought/aridity, changed patterns affecting phenological development, etc)

• Risk of low yield due to poor inputs (limited fertilizer input)

• Risk of crop failure due to pest outbreaks, such as locust, fall army worms, etc

5. Adaptation options to address the CC risks:

• Changing crop types and provenances (to crops maturing in a shorter growth season, drought-tolerant varieties) – these may require new breeding programmes

• Improve water management through irrigation, damming, etc to reduce dependence on rain-fed production

• Managing the full range of risks with a combination of actions and insurance at the local or national level

6. Required other actions to ensure adaptation is successful

• Data driven crop production system that utilizes best available climate information services

• National insurance through ARC to manage risk of major crop failure and avoid food insecuty disaster

• Crop breeding, data collection and monitoring to support extension services and support to farmers, manage pests and diseases

7. Adaptation potential rating

• Medium to high

D: SYSTEM: Urban water system for city

1. System name: Urban water system for [Lilongwe]

2. Brief description:

Water supply to residents of the City of Lilongwe is the responsibility of the Lilongwe Water Board. Water is sourced from several sources and pumped to several processing points before being piped to users. There is no system to recycle water.

System model/analytical model:

The standard model of an urban water system such as for California, represents a typical urban water system (water source point dynamics, distribution infrastructure (clean water, recycling, waste)) Network of water supply system and withdrawals

3. Current constraints (factors of production etc):

• Rainfall amounts for the basin and resultant flow in main river outlets (e.g. Malingunde river/dams) (drought conditions, etc)

• Quality of the water dams as affected by land degradation in the basin resulting in siltation

• Old infrastructure for conveyance of the water to processing plants and to users

• Electricity supply for water pumps

4. Risks now and in the future (CC and others):

• Risk of water shortages in the source dams due to low rainfall, heat wave or drought

• Risk of water shortages to satisfy increasing demand due to expanding city/increasing population

• Risk of interruption in water supply due to equipment failure (pumps, pipelines, etc)

• Risk of interrupted water supply due to disruptions in power supply

5. Adaptation options to address the CC risks:

• Expand options for source water to address projected needs in the medium- and long-term, such as building a pipeline from alternative sources (e.g. Lake Malawi) or expand use of belowground aquifers

6. Required other actions to ensure adaptation is successful

• Establish water use controls, policies, including for periods of limited water supply

• Develop contingency plans to deal with severe water shortages or distrupted service (cf. India’s Chennai and water by rail; water tankers; bans on water use for gardening, carwash)

• Citizen participation in water saving strategies (lessons from Cape Town)

• Use of automated monitoring systems to identify water leakages and reduce waste

7. Adaptation potential rating

• Medium to high?

E: COMPLEX SYSTEM: Lake Malawi and its many functions

Biodiversity, Fisheries, hydropower generation, greenbelt irrigation initiative, tourism

1. System name: Lake Malawi

2. Brief description:

Unique biodiversity: Lake Malawi is special to all Malawians and globally for a number of reasons. It is a center of biodiversity endemism and is home to unique fish species. It boosts the Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO heritage site, an underwater nature reserve. See https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/289/. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984, celebrated for its stunning ecosystem that is home to hundreds of fish species, Lake Malawi National Park’s importance when it comes to the study of evolution is likened to that of the Galapagos Islands finches! Another key feature is that of the midges that swarm over Lake Malawi and can be seen from space.

Lake Malawi as a major water body supplying water for irrigation and drinking water

Lake Malawi as source of the Shire River, implications for hydroelectricity generation on the Shire

Lake Malawi as a tourist destination

3. Current constraints (factors of production etc):

• The dynamics of the lake levels, lake temperatures and condition, and how it responds to various factors affecting the watershed area, are not fully understood, despite several major research projects on the lake (GEF, IGBP/PAGES, etc)

• Land degradation in the watershed area is assumed to cause siltation and changes in inflow to the lake, affecting its ecology and overall water levels

• Variability in rainfall in the watershed area is assumed to impact inflow, and ultimately the outflow.

• Inadequate data collection relating to water inputs, withdrawals, water temperatures etc, are a major constraint to a data-driven analysis of the lake and its management

• Mining activities in the watersed area are on the increase, in particular for Uranium in the north, coal and others.

4. Risks now and in the future (CC and others):

• Risk of water levels dropping too low for outflow through the Shire River to sustain electricity generation downriver

• Risk of shanging water temperatures after fisk breeding at different levels of the lake, severely impacting the unique fish biodiversity of the lake

• Risk of increasing land degradation in the watershed area increasing siltation and limiting river inflows into the lake

• Risk of contaminants from the uranium mine in the north of the country severely damaging fish ecology and production, and also risk of contamination of drinking water and water for major irrigation efforts along the lake and in the Shire Basin

• Risk of contamination of the lake leading to losses in tourist income

• Risk of collapse of the fish industry based on the lake, in particular for main species of tilapia/chambo, usipa, catfish and several other species.

5. Adaptation options to address the CC risks:

• Rehabilitation of landscapes in the watershed areas to ensure steady water inputs into the lake

• Fish genebanks to safeguard the unique biological biodiversity of the lake

• Restrictions on fishing to manage yields under changing conditions

• Construction and rehabilitation of barrages on the Shire River to manage water flows in the Shire

• Careful tradeoff in water usage between irrigation, water for Lilongwe, and water needed to outflow into the Shire River for hydroelectricity generation

• Fish breeding to sustain population of key species

6. Required other actions to ensure adaptation is successful

• Establish water use controls, policies, including for periods of low water levels

• Develop contingency plans to deal with severely low water levels in terms of electricity supply for the country

• Use of automated monitoring systems to measure inflows and outflows

7. Adaptation potential rating

• Low to medium?

Key Climate and non-Climate Vulnerabilities and Risks

• xxxx
• xxxx

Priority Projects and Programmes

b. Projects and programmes to address key risks for the country

1. Climate Resilient Integrated Watershed Management (Total: US$ 84 million, PPCR/SPCR)

6. Forest landscape restoration programme

7. Lake Malawi Ecosystem

8. Lake Chilwa Ecosystem and Value Chains

9. National physical development planning under climate change

10. Building a resilient national food security

c. Essential cross-cutting projects/programmes

[[1. Creating an effective adaptation process and system (mainstreaming/integration, policies, governance, etc.)]]

[[2. Climate information services and early warnings systems, systematic observations]]

[[3. Active monitoring of key systems: crop production, water resources, ecosystems, etc]]

[[4. M&E system – individual projects and in aggregate for the country]]

[[5. Capacity development for implementation of adaptation and support to the process including data and information management, etc]]

Alignment with the GCF country programme

The priorities in the NAP will form the 5-year country programme for engagement with the GCF as follows:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Adaptation Actors

Government

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining is the lead ministry mandated to coordinate natural resources and environment (including climate change), energy and mining issues. The Ministry hosts the Environmental Affairs Department, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Department of Forestry, Department of Energy Affairs, Mining Department, and Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is the climate change focal point in the country. Therefore, EAD provides policy direction on issues related to climate change mitigation, adaptation, public awareness and technology transfer. The EAD is supported by a National Technical Committee on Climate Change, a multi- stakeholder technical team, to provide critical inputs to current and future climate change programmes and projects. At the policy level, it is supported by the National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC)19. The EAD in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), is also responsible for coordinating international climate change related issues.

Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services: Previously known as Department of Meteorological Services, it is mandated to provide reliable, responsive and high-quality weather and climate services to meet national, regional and international obligations through timely dissemination of accurate and up to-date data and information for socio-economic development of Malawi. The DCCMS has manned and automated weather stations throughout the country and also manages district climate change information offices to disseminate climate change information to aid district development planning. It is the only official authoritative voice on weather and climate for the Malawi Government, and manages all weather and climate data for Malawi as the official custodian of such information.

Department of Forestry (DoF) is mandated to plan, provide technical extension guidelines, and facilitate forestry development on customary land and forest reserves, and participation of all stakeholders in the sustainable management of our natural resources in Malawi. Although its activities tend to mainly support climate change mitigation by conserving or enhancing carbon sinks, the Department has also looked at adaptation co - benefits e.g. REDD+. The Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM), which is within DoF, provides technical support in forest management to environment and agriculture departments.

Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) is under the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), is responsible for coordinating and directing disaster risk management programmes in the country in order to improve and safeguard the quality of life of Malawians, especially those vulnerable to and affected by disasters. As part of disaster management, DoDMA is monitors, assesses, updates and disseminates disaster related information to various stakeholders.

Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Development (MoFEPD) is mandated to manage fiscal flows and economic development plans such as the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS). The Department of Economic Planning and Development, in the recent past, was also actively involved management of climate change programmes. Since MGDS is a medium-term development plan for the country, DEPD will be instrumental in ensuring the SPCR processes are captured in the MGDS III which is yet to be approved.

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development (MoAIWD) is one of the largest ministries hosting nine departments, namely: Animal Health and Livestock; Agriculture Extension Services; Agriculture Research Services; Fisheries; Crop Development; Land Resources Conservation; Irrigation Services; Water Resources and Water Supply. The MoAIWD mandated to implement the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach (ASWAp) and is instrumental in generating and disseminating agriculture and water related adaptation knowledge and technology products to smallholder farming communities, who ultimately experience the greatest impacts of climate change. The Ministry has worked with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to develop Agriculture National Adaptation Plan.

Ministry of Health The Ministry seeks to achieve health for all Malawians by delivering health services and disseminating health information to the general public. The Ministry mission is to raise the level of health status of all Malawians by reducing the incidence of illness and occurrence of death in the population. This will be done through the development of a sound delivery system capable of promoting health, preventing, reducing and curing disease, protecting life and fostering general well-being and increased productivity. The Ministry has been working with the World Health Organisation (WHO to undertake climate change vulnerability assessment of the health sector.

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) is responsible for the development and delivery of basic and higher education. The Ministry, through Malawi Institute of education (MIE), participated in the development of Malawi's Climate Change Learning Strategy and is currently mainstreaming climate change in primary and secondary school curricular. This has a potential of bringing climate change adaptation awareness to household level.

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MoLGRD) is mandated to promote and accelerate local governance and participatory democracy and social-economic development of local governance. MoLGRD is responsible for the District led development efforts. The districts, through the Decentralisation Policy, are a medium for capturing developmental needs from the grassroots to inform central government planning processes.

Civil society and non-governmental organisations

Non-governmental and civil society organisations (CSOs) are highly active in climate change-related issues in Malawi at community, district and national levels. CSOs are expected to contribute towards implementation of the National Climate Change Management Policy (NCCMP) and the Policy Implementation Plan that has already earmarked specific activities to be undertaken by CSOs. They are also actively involved in policy analysis and advocacy processes. They include, among others, the Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) which represents more than 41 NGOs and CSOs involved in climate change issues; the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA) a local environmental policy think-tank with local and international links, the Leadership in Environment and Development (LEAD) focuses on Natural Resources and Climate Change Management around the Lake Chilwa Basin, the Network for Youth Development (NFYD) an active advocacy youth group that has organised a series of Climate Change Youth Conferences and Symposia in Malawi and is actively involved in the preparations for the Conference of Parties.

CISONECC members work in various areas which include livelihoods-related interventions and capacity building and awareness. This includes providing inputs such as seedlings; fertilisers, cassava cuttings, potato vines; early warning systems; exchange visits; tree planting; provision of health interventions; youth engagements; generation of energy efficient technology; and land administration. CISONECC has particularly highlighted the plight of the urban poor; women and girls are vulnerable groups whose needs should be taken on board in adaptation plan.

As the NCCMP is established CSOs, NGOs and government will need to collaborate more efficiently. NGO interventions will need to be optimised according to their comparative advantages and distinctive competencies and the capacity of CISONECC, youth groups and other organisations should continue to be reinforced. It is expected that NGOs will be actively involved in the SPCR at two levels: at the national level, through advocacy, awareness, and information promotion; and at the field level in the target areas, as facilitators of community adaptation. The choice of partners is expected to be facilitated by the fact that NGOs are already specialised by region/district

International aid agencies programmes

The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) promotes Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies through the Lead Farmer Extension Approach targeting 140,000 farmers in the Northern and Central Regions. Concern Worldwide is implementing an ongoing project supported by the European Commission (ECHO), focusing on food security and aiming to benefit more than 174,000 people. With funding from the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Concern is also supporting more than 22,000 people in Nsanje district to strengthen their ability to meet their immediate food and nutrition needs, improve livelihoods and increase resilience.

Biodiversity Conversation Initiative is working in the Northern Region of Malawi to conserve agrobiodiversity, the World Fish Centre, with an active programme of technical assistance to fisheries and aquaculture in Malawi; and Total Land Care (TLC) is assisting poor and vulnerable farmers with livelihood diversification and sustainable agriculture.

Christian Aid has been implementing the Enhancing Community Resilience Programme (ECRP), which runs until 2016 and was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), Irish Aid and the Norwegian Embassy. CARE established operations in Malawi in 1998. CARE Malawi’s programmes include food security, agriculture, health, education, and social and economic empowerment, especially for women.

The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources is implementing the “Capacity Building for Managing Climate Change in Malawi (CABMACC)”. Supported financially by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the overall goal of the programme is to improve livelihoods and food security through innovative responses and enhanced capacity for adaptation to climate change in Malawi. Its three main goals are to:

• Build capacity of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in research and teaching for climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Develop new knowledge, technologies and systems to enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Enhance capacity of the University and relevant key stakeholders in in climate change outreach and advocacy enhanced.

Concern Universal leads the Developing Innovative Solutions with Communities to Overcome Vulnerability (DISCOVER) a four-year consortium project seeking to support 900,000 rural households to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in the districts of Karonga, Salima, Dedza, Balaka and Nsanje. The Shire River Basin Management Programme Project (2012–2018) has developed a Shire River Basin planning framework and established a Shire River Basin Organisation, to improve land and water management for ecosystem and livelihood benefits in target areas. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is Shire Basin planning. This component finances development of a modern integrated Shire Basin knowledge base and analytical tools, as well as well-planned structured stakeholder consultation processes, to facilitate investment planning and systems operation. The second component of the project is catchment management. The targeted sub-catchments and protected areas are rehabilitated and managed for reduced erosion and improved livelihoods. The third component of the project is water related infrastructure.

Humanitarian Assistance - Emergency Cash Transfer Programme – Save the Children The objective of the Emergency Cash Transfer Programme is to save lives, build resilience and protect the livelihoods of food insecure individuals, including children. It covers 451,711 families that were affected by floods and drought in the previous cropping season in 33 Traditional Authorities of Kasungu, Mchinji, Dedza, Lilongwe, Machinga, Nkhotakota, Mulanje and Nsanje districts. Development of Thermal Electric Generator (TEG) Stoves. The overarching objective of the programme is to demonstrate the appropriateness of the TEG Stove technology for national rollout for rural off-grid Malawi thus greatly contributing to the energy requirement of the rural off the grid communities. This project, by TCD with Concern Universal, is for the development of a prototype and medium-scale deployment in rural Malawi with the ultimate aim for the technology of national roll-out. By providing low cost energy access with low or zero carbon emissions, this project supports climate change mitigation. This will then greatly contribute to the energy requirement for rural off-grid communities at low or net-zero carbon emissions.

Concern Universal Accelerating Uptake of Improved Cookstoves. The programme proposes to reach a target of 2 million low emission and energy efficient stoves by 2020. In addition, the project aims to provide technical support and carbon financing services to other organisations and both local and national stakeholders. As a result of the emissions saved from reduced burning of biomass in fuel efficient stoves and consequent reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation, this project contributes towards climate change mitigation. Due to the reduced pressures on woodland and forests for biomass harvesting this project also contributes towards biodiversity.

Enhancing Community Resilience (ECRP) goal of the ‘Enhancing Community Resilience’ project is to help eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in Malawi, whilst enabling households to build resilient, sustainable and profitable livelihoods. The programme reduces existing and future risks caused by natural hazards and climate change and strengthens the capacity of vulnerable 14 communities to cope with current risks and adapt to new ones. ECRP aims to reach 600,000 people in eleven vulnerable districts in central and southern Malawi to build their capacity to increase resilience to climatic risks.

Strengthening Community Disaster Resilience (SCDR) programme targets 4,000 vulnerable households living in flood and drought prone areas in Chikhwawa, Malawi. It is planned to run over a period of four years and is being implemented by the Evangelical Association of Malawi. The programme aims to strengthen community-based disaster and climate change resilience through food security, livelihood diversification, environmental management and integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into policies and developmental planning. The programme is purposely situated within the Hyogo Framework for Action and uses the framework as a means to align and organise diverse activities. In terms of implementation, the programme includes specific initiatives in food security and livelihood diversification. Activities undertaken include; small scale irrigation, conservation agriculture, seed production of drought tolerant and short-cycle crops, training in conservation agriculture, establishment of community grain and seed banks, improved storage, dietary diversification, community based natural resource management committees, afforestation, non-agriculture forest activities, fuel efficient stoves, early warning systems and the training of targeted groups in flood management. Through these activities, the programme aims to strengthen community-based disaster and climate change resilience of targeted households, in addition to informing national level policy development.

Agroforestry Food Security Programme (AFSP PHASE II). The second phase of the Agroforestry Food Security Programme (AFSP II) aims to contribute towards the uptake of climate-smart agriculture in Malawi. Climate-Smart Agriculture has three main pillars: sustainable intensification that ensures food security; building resilience through climate change adaptation; and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) through agro-forestry innovations. Agro-forestry innovations are namely: 1) fertiliser trees and conservation agriculture to build an evergreen agriculture that enhances accumulation of soil organic matter thus enhancing crop productivity and resilience to climate risks; 2) fruit trees to improve household nutrition, health and income; 3) Fodder trees to improve milk yields for smallholder dairy farmers to enhance nutrition, health and income; and 4) woodlots for firewood and timber production. This project was designed, with input from government departments, to be closely aligned with Malawi’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), and the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach Programme (ASWAP).

Agriculture Sector Wide Approach Support Project (ASWAP). The objectives of this Agriculture Sector Wide Approach Support Project (ASWAP) are to improve the effectiveness of investments in food security and sustainable agricultural growth and strengthen the natural resource base in agricultural lands. In order to strengthen the natural resource base, the project aims to double the area under sustainable land management as a basis for securing ecosystem services and sustainable agricultural productivity. 16 The programme supports institutional capacity building in districts for planning, agricultural policy, land administration and financial management. The programme also supports capacity building of smallholder farmers in inter alia nutrient management and conservation agriculture techniques, diversified crops including agro-forestry and expansion of farmer advisory services. It also provides support to market based agricultural risk management strategies including payment of weather derivative contracts and insurance premiums to cover agricultural production and studies on macro- and micro-weather insurance schemes. The programme supports sustainable water management such as rainwater conservation and early warning systems for droughts and floods. By supporting conservation agriculture and agro-forestry, this project protects and enhances sinks and thus contributes to climate change mitigation and combats land degradation. By supporting and researching agricultural weather-based risk management, early warning systems and sustainable water management, this project also supports long-term adaptation to climate change. Risk management and early warning systems also contribute to Disaster Risk Management. Ireland has placed particular emphasis on the integration of drought resistant legume seed, principally ground nuts, pigeon peas and beans, into the national agricultural systems, to improve soil fertility management and nutritious food production.

Sustainable Crop Production Practices in Smallholder Farming Systems, National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM). The overall objective of the project is to improve sustainable crop production, productivity and marketing through adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture principles and practices under smallholder farmer conditions in the context of climate change. Climate-smart agriculture practices can help shield farmers from the adverse effects of climate change and variability and also improve farm yields and household incomes, resulting in stronger and more resilient communities besides delivering environmental benefits. The project specifically aims at: increasing adoption of CSA practices in smallholder farming systems; promoting agricultural diversification; promoting sustainable land and water management practices; providing improved access to stable and profitable markets for legumes; and increasing adoption of energy saving technologies NASFAM describes conservation agriculture as an ecologically sound means of helping achieve food security and as resource-saving production that strives to achieve acceptable profits while simultaneously conserving the environment. Conservation agriculture contributes both to mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change. Through minimal soil disturbance and maintenance of soil cover, conservation agriculture also combats land degradation. Capacity building for conservation agriculture is an important dimension of this project with training of trainers (1,500 NASFAM farmer trainers), training of 60 field officers, use of demonstration plots, development of conservation agriculture resource centres, and field days all planned. The aims of conservation agriculture, in contrast to other modern agricultural methods, are to achieve mitigation and adaptation to climate change and preservation of soil.

Rooting Out Hunger Phase II. The Rooting Out Hunger Phase II project, in collaboration with the national Root and Tuber Crops Innovation Platform (RTCIP) and other key stakeholders, aims to develop a countrywide programme to transform the production and utilisation of a number of key crops in southern Malawi. The program focuses specifically on the production and uptake of sweet potato, potato, and cassava and the expansion in the seed and production value chains of orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP). OFSP’s flexible planting times, harvest times, drought resistance and relatively short maturing period means that it is more resilient to climatic variability than others. This project aims to conduct diagnostic studies of sweet potato, potato, and cassava value chains in Malawi through identification of entry points for research and development support. Through this research, it should be possible to transform these value chains for enhanced nutrition, improved incomes and climate resilience.

Local Development Support Programme. The aim of the Local Development Support Programme, in collaboration with Concern Universal, is to contribute to a reduction in the levels of poverty and vulnerability in Malawi. The programme focuses on a number of areas including food and nutrition security; agribusiness; water and sanitation; disaster risk reduction; and cross-cutting issues including gender, environmental management, rights and capacity building. The programme supports priority activities in disaster preparedness and management plans identified in the district for Dedza, Ntcheu, Balaka, and Phalombe and to support implementation of priority activities identified in environmental outlook reports and plans. The programme supports Village Natural Resource Management Committees (VNRMCs), in the efficient use and management of natural resources and the rehabilitation and management of essential ecosystems and ecological processes. As part of this, the programme promotes soil and water conservation and management as well as sustainable agricultural practices. In addition, the programme implements important key activities highlighted in Malawi’s National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA).

Malawi Seed Industry Programme, ICRISAT. Improved seeds provide a package of technologies that once unlocked through agronomy, secure farmers’ livelihoods against food and nutrition insecurity and climate change. These 18 projects are an extension of, and builds on, the Malawi Seed Industry Development Project (MSIDP) whose objective was to increase smallholder crop productivity and incomes by using improved certified seed. The objectives of the extension are to strengthen (i) the seed supply chains of selected legumes and cereals; and (ii) productivity enhancing research for development.

Main Plans and Strategies

Recent Relevant Strategies and Plans

• MGDS III
• NAPA 2006/2015
• PPCR/SPCR
• NRS
• Irish Aid V&A
• USAID V&A
• WB Environment Report
• Energy Strategy
• Greenbelt Initiative
• Agriculture SWAP
• CC Investment Plan

The National Resilience Strategy, 2018-2030 The five year National Resilience strategy aims to break the cycle of humanitarian assistance and has the following pillars; Resilient agriculture growth; Risk Reduction, Flood Control and Early Warning and Response Systems; human Capacity, livelihoods and social protection and Catchment protection and Management. It’s a long term plan up to 2030 and it’s in line with Sustainable Development Goals. Through the Plan, government brings a multi-dimensional approach to control floods, reduce food insecurity and grow exports, protect and manage the environment and catchments, enhance early warning system and provide social support interventions using a single monitoring and evaluation framework, enhanced coordination, pooling of resources and prioritization.

National climate change management Policy, 2016 The Policy’s goal is to promote climate change adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building for sustainable livelihoods through Green Economy measures for Malawi. Policy priorities include; Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, Capacity Building, Education, Training and Awareness, Research, Technology Development and Transfer, and Systematic Observation and Climate Change Financing. Cross cutting issues include gender consideration, population dynamics and HIV/AIDS.

National climate change investment plan 2003 - 2018 The plan focuses on adaption and mitigation with the following priorities;

Mitigation:

• Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

• Waste Management and Pollution Control Programme

• Enhancing Energy Saving Technology Programme

Adaptation:

• Integrated Watershed Management Programme

• Improving Climate Change Community Resilience through Agriculture Production

• Climate Change Proofing of infrastructure Development

• Enhancing Disaster Risk Management

• Capacity building in climate change

Malawi Vision 2020 This is the country’s overarching long term strategy that aspires for a technologically driven middle-income economy while providing an enabling framework for addressing climate change and other environmental challenges in a comprehensive manner

Malawi Growth and Development strategy III

Intended nationally determined contributions (INDC) 2015 The INDC under adaptation prioritised agriculture (crops, livestock, fisheries), water resources, health, infrastructure, land-use planning, transport, population and human settlements, disaster risk management, forestry; wildlife, energy and gender. The key sectors under mitigation include; energy, industrial processes and product use (IPPU), agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU), and waste. These sectors are based on national priorities and there is emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration in implementation, capacity building, research, and consideration for disaster risk management as well as the need to harmonise policies.

National Adaptation Programmes of Action, 2006 The NAPA focused on improving community resilience to CC impacts, improving Agriculture productivity and preparedness to cope with disasters and improving early warning. Adaptation needs have been identified for the agriculture, water, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, human health, energy and gender sectors. Five urgent actions were identified which include;

1. Improving community resilience to climate change through the development of sustainable rural livelihoods

2. Restoring forests in the Upper, Middle and Lower Shire Valleys catchments to reduce siltation and the associated water flow problems

3. Improving agricultural production under erratic rains and changing climatic conditions

4. Improving Malawi’s preparedness to cope with droughts and floods

5. Improving climate monitoring to enhance Malawi’s early warning capability and decision making and sustainable utilization of Lake Malawi and lakeshore areas resources

Country Profile

Climate change policies

• National Climate Change Management Policy (2016)
• Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (2015)
• National Climate Change Investment Plan (2013)
• Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II and III (2011-2016)
• National Adaptation Programmes of Action (2006 as revised in 2015)
• Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (2015)
• National Disaster Risk Management Policy (2015)
• National Agriculture Policy (2016)
• National Irrigation Policy (2016)
• National Forestry Policy (2016)
• National Water Policy (2005)
• National Environmental Policy (2004).
• Decentralised Environmental Management Policy (1998)
• National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2016)
• National Resilience Strategy (under preparation)

Climate Change Projects under UNFCCC funds: GEF, LDCF, GCF

GCF

GCF Project Number FP099; Countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Djibouti, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda; Region: Africa, Asia-Pacific; Theme: Mitigation; Project Name: Climate Investor One; Access Modality: Private International; Total GCF Funding: $100,000,000.00; Total Co-Financing: $721,500,000.00; Approval Date: 10/20/2018; Disbursements: $21,487,762.00; Duration (months): 240; Funding type: Reimbursable Grants; Total Value Equity $821,500,000.00

GCF Project Number FP002: Countries: Malawi; Region: Africa; Theme: Adaptation; Project Name: Scaling up the use of Modernized Climate information and Early Warning Systems in Malawi; Access Modality: Public International; Total GCF Funding: $12,295,000.00; Total Co-Financing: $3,970,000.00; Approval Date: 11/5/2015; Disbursements: $2,377,039.00; $3,332,276.00; Duration (months): 72; Funding Type: Grants; Total Value Equity $16,265,000.00

Source: https://unfccc.int/climatefinance/gcf/gcf_data; Accessed: 30/11/2019

LDCF

xxxx xxxx

SCCF

None

GEF

tbc

Adaptation Fund

None

National Reports to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement

• First National Communication
• Second National Communication
• INDC