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
