Overview of National Development Planning In the Face of Climate Change: The case of Malawi

Overview of National Development

Planning In the Face of Climate

Change

The case of Malawi

George Mkondiwa

Chief Secretary,

Government of Malawi

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Background

Recent Impacts

How Government has Responded

Looking Ahead

BACKGROUND Malawi is an agro-based economy with the agricultural sector

accounting for about 42% of GDP and 81% of export earnings

with tobacco alone contributing about 67% to the country’s

export receipts. Other major crops include tea, coffee, maize

and rice.

Agriculture is primarily based on rain-fed production. Although

the country has abundant water resources in Lake Malawi and

some rivers, access to water for irrigation is limited due to

topography and cost limitations.

Subsistence agriculture is focused on maize, although some

cassava, rice and millet are grown in some parts of the country.

BACKGROUND [2] The country has heavy reliance on wood for household fuel,

tobacco curing and for charcoal with biomass energy

contributing to 88.5% of the total energy demand.

98% of electricity is from hydropower, and almost all of that is

from one river, the Shire River, in the southern part of the

country.

Shire River itself flows out of Lake Malawi, and the amount and

quality of water is heavily affected by land degradation in the

Shire Basin, as well as climate change effects such as droughts.

Flooding frequency and intensity is on the increase,

compounded by land use changes resulting into interrupted

waterways/wetlands and land degradation.

High level of poverty

RECENT IMPACTS Malawi was affected by heavy floods in January 2015

especially in the Southern Region.

Estimated that the floods affected 1,150,000 people,

displaced 336,000, killed 104 people and inflicted substantial

damages and losses in the productive, public infrastructure

and social service sectors, including private and community

assets.

This year, the northern part of the country has experienced

severe floods, while the central and southern parts have

experienced dry spells leading to severe food shortages and

water scarcities.

RECENT IMPACTS [2]

Following assessment of these large-scale damages, losses,

disruptions in services delivery and the likely increase in

poverty and vulnerability levels in the affected areas, the

Government requested the World Bank’s assistance to help

finance key recovery interventions and this led to the

emergence of Malawi Flood Emergency Relief Project.

Growing seasons have shifted over the last 10-20 years:

now rains are more erratic and the growing season is

typically 1-2 months late, and shorter .

The country has also experienced heat waves. Data on

minimum and maximum temperatures indicate warmer

winters and hotter summers in most parts of the country.

The country has also experienced strong winds which have

resulted into damages to infrastructure particularly schools.

2015 Floods in Malawi

HOW GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED

The Government of Malawi has put in place a number of initiatives

which include the development of policy and institutional frameworks

and management tools as well as establishment of various

programmes to address climate change effects.

Government has prioritized Climate Change issues in the Malawi

Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS II).

Government has also developed a Climate Change Policy and Climate

Change Investment Plan.

The Government of Malawi launched the national adaptation plan

process and we have done our road map and also finished stocktaking

The country has further prepared: Climate Change Response

Framework, National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA),

Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) and a National

Climate Change Investment Plan.

HOW GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED [2]

The Government is putting climate change and disaster management

high on its agenda. Issues related to Disaster management are housed

under the Vice President’s office. This is an example of prioritizing

disaster management at the highest national level.

Government has joined the Africa Risk Capacity and took out a

national crop insurance to the tune of USD 4.7 Million for the 2015-

16 growing season as rains were poor and a significant part of the

country is in a severe food shortage situation.

Electricity generation is a major limitation to development efforts –

The country embarked on load-shedding efforts, but this is not

enough as production deficits continue with worsening climatic

conditions. Now government is looking at alternative power

generation including hydro expansion as well as solar generation.

HOW GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED [3]

Government has embarked on Green Belt Irrigation

initiative to utilize water from lakes and perennial rivers

to enhance the country's production of a variety of crops,

livestock and fisheries.

Government has expanded efforts to support subsistence

farmers through Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP,)

Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF), expanded seed

services, extension services, and improved climate

services to support agriculture planning/calendars.

HOW GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED [4]

The country is also implementing Malawi Flood Emergency Relief

Project

Components in this project that are being implemented include:

Livelihoods Restoration and Food Security – activities being

implemented include Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

and also restocking of the Strategic Grain Reserve

In the infrastructure repairing, communities have benefited inputs to

restore agricultural activity, and this year they will also benefit cash for

work, and will also include payment in form of livestock.

Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Reconstruction has included

reconstruction of roads and bridges, rehabilitation of irrigation and

rural water supply schemes, reconstruction and rehabilitation of

health and education facilities

HOW GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED [5]

The country is also implementing Shire River Basin

Management Programme

The programme was formulated to sustainably develop the Shire

River Basin to improve land and water management for ecosystem

and livelihood benefits.

One of the components in the programme involves improving flood

management in the Lower Shire in order to provide community level

adaptation and mitigation support.

The main goal is to support the preparation and subsequent

implementation of the Integrated Flood Risk Management Plan

(IFRMP) for the Lower Shire.

To date, Area Intervention Plans and Village Flood Action Plans have

been prepared and approved in the impact areas of Chikhwawa and

Nsanje in southern Malawi.

Greenbelt Irrigation initiative

Solar powered Irrigation

LOOKING AHEADWhat are major components and systems for which adaptation

and the NAP should focus on?

Agriculture and Food Security

Rural agricultural production

Estate/commercial farming including large-scale schemes e.g. the Greenbelt

Irrigation Initiative

Management of seed and what crops to recommend for farmers to grow in

each part of the country.

National insurance through the Africa Risk Capacity.

Water resources

Exploring other sources of water for cities including potential pipelines from

Lake Malawi

Rural water supply piping being expanded, underground water to be regulated.

LOOKING AHEADWhat are major components and systems for which adaptation and

the NAP should focus on? [2]

Ecosystems Major efforts in Lower Shire to rehabilitate ecosystems

Lake Malawi and major wetland ecosystems in need of protection and

improved management/rehabilitation

Energy Rehabilitation of the Lower Shire hydro plants

Rehabilitation of the power grid lines

Participation in Southern African regional power pool.

Rural electrification

Mini hydro expansion in some parts of the country.

Climate extremes and disasters Early warning systems and improved observational networks.

Improved disaster risk Management and response.

Water harvesting programmes

Current progress on NAPs

The Government launched the national

adaptation plan process

We have prepared our road map highlighting key

milestones n the process

We have also done our stocktaking which details

our adaptation needs and priorities

We will embark on climate risk and vulnerability

analysis and eventually identification of

adaptation options in the medium and long term.

Conclusion

To cope with the effects of climate change, we have

taken a proactive approach in our responses.

This is based on comprehensive policy, legal and

institutional frameworks supported by programmes

aimed at improving Malawi's climate resilience.

The NAP presents a good opportunity for assessing

our adaptation needs and agreeing on adaptation

priorities in the medium to long term.

important to articulate milestones to be achieved and

integrate them into national development planning

and implementation processes and programmes.