By Tikondane Vega

Blantyre, March 7, Mana: Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota, has commended Blantyre Water Board (BWB) for continuing planting trees around Mudi River catchment as one way of sustaining water in Mudi Dam.

She appreciated BWB efforts on Thursday in Blantyre when she led BWB and other stakeholders to plant trees around Mudi River catchment area, which contributes to high level of water in Blantyre.

She said by planting more trees around Mudi catchment, BWB showed total commitment in reforestation of the catchment which in turn will improve the institution’s ability to meet present safe water demands without compromising the quantity.

“Government highly commend BWB for planting trees around Mudi area. They are just complementing what President Lazarus Chakwera said during the launch of trees planting in Phalombe district. Trees help to maintain adequate water supply for present and future generations.

“From today, everyone should take tree planting as a lifestyle that needs to be followed all the time. Let us all look after the trees; otherwise our efforts will be in vain since we will repeat planting at the same place every year,” she said.

The Deputy Minister therefore urged BWB to involve the community in tree planting exercises, saying community members will have sense of ownership and will avoid cutting down trees in the protected area as they will be part of the process.

On his part, BWB Chairperson Joe Ching’ani said the water authority will continue planting more trees and agreed with the minister to call upon Blantyre residents and surrounding areas to participate in rehabilitating the Mudi River catchment.

Ching’ani disclosed that BWB will this year plant about 30,000 seedlings around Mudi Dam and Mudi River catchment in a bid to rehabilitate the area and preserve the dam.

He said: “As BWB, we shall continue to set pace and take a lead in tree planting, knowing that water availability depends on good environment. Every year our survival rate is above 50 percent, which is good news to us considering several factors that hinder tree survival.”

Meanwhile, Senior Chief Kapeni has advised community leaders to play watchdog roles in their respective areas to stop cutting of trees in the Mudi catchment.

“We need to be alert always and report such people to responsible offices for them to be dealt with. The good part is that we have agreed to involve community in this tree planting exercise for them to be part of this,” he said.

During the tree planting exercise, BWB presented certificates of recognition to several stakeholders who donated trees to the water utility body, and the certificate recipients included FDH Bank, Fist Capital Bank, Castel Malawi, G4S, Old Mutual and Water for People.  

By Leonard Masauli

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: World Vision Malawi has emphasized the importance of faith leaders embracing the mega farms initiative to ensure adequate food supply in the communities the leaders serve.

During the ‘Enough Campaign with Faith Leaders’ held at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Advocacy and Communications Director for World Vision Malawi, Charles Gwengwe, highlighted the pivotal role faith leaders play in stewardship and responsibility.

"Faith leaders must actively support the establishment of mega farms within their congregations to address food insecurity.

“While we have constructed churches, schools, and hospitals, it is now imperative to develop mega farms to share food resources with those in need and promote sustainable land and water management practices," said Gwengwe.

He underscored the urgency of the situation, noting “the current hunger crisis affecting approximately 4.4 million people demands immediate action. If left unaddressed, these figures could escalate to over 5 million next year."

Gwengwe emphasized that churches should not limit themselves to spiritual endeavours but should also actively engage in meeting the physical needs of their communities.

Addressing the gathering, Pastor Caswell Mkanda, Chief Executive Officer at Uthunthu, praised World Vision for its campaign and urged churches to proactively tackle issues such as hunger.

"As stewards and beacons of light, churches are called not only to worship but also to offer practical solutions to societal challenges. Leveraging our collective expertise and resources, including agricultural experts, economists, and nutritionists within the church, we can establish mega farms to provide sustainable solutions,” remarked Mkanda.

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: Director of Preparedness and Response for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), Moses Chimphepo, has asked the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources to lobby government for an extra K1 billion to their budget in order for them to operate effectively and efficiently.

Chimphepo made the remarks in Lilongwe on Wednesday after meeting the committee.

He said DoDMA needs resources to support Malawi efficiently saying responding to disasters depends on the magnitude of the disaster and as such extra funding is needed.

He also said the prolonged dry spells that some districts have faced will require resources to help people in those areas.

"Currently, we don’t know how many people will be food insecure and once those people are determined, we will come up with a budget for our current course.

“For those that we know we need an additional K1 billion on top of the K1 billion which has been allocated to us. At least K2 billion will be enough for us to operate properly as a department,” he said.

Co-chairperson for the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Natural Resources, Werani Chilenga, said as Members of Parliament (MPs) their mandate is to make sure that people are helped through DoDMA.

He said MPs will help DoDMA to get extra funding.

"We will lobby the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture so that they should have enough funding to mitigate most of these factors,” Chilenga said.

By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe; March 7, Mana. Lilongwe District Health Office (DHO) has embarked on a Bilharzia drug mass distribution campaign in order to eliminate the disease in the district.

Speaking Tuesday during a media briefing in Lilongwe, District Health Promotion Officer, Richard Mvula, said the exercise which started on Tuesday, March 5, is expected to end on March 9.

“We are targeting school going children from the age of six upwards as well as adults. At the end of the exercise we are expected to reach out to 800,000 people in the district,” he said.

He appealed to parents to sensitize their children to take the drugs at school once it is administered.

“Bilharzia is one of the diseases which has been earmarked for elimination just like we did with other neglected tropical diseases such as Lymphatic IASIS. That is why we have decided to conduct this campaign so that no one is left behind and declare Malawi free from Bilharzia,” he said.

Currently, Lilongwe DHO is working hand in hand with Ministry of Education by going to each and every school meeting primary school learners.

Mvula said, in the communities they will be going around in places where people usually meet and also engage volunteers on door to doors services.

Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) Chief Executive Officer, George Jobe, welcomed the intervention saying it has come at the right time when the country is still receiving rains.

 "Knowing that Bilharzia has affected Malawi for a long time, it is very encouraging that the country aims at eliminating the disease. My appeal to parents and stakeholders is to positively welcome the intervention," he said.

The campaign is being conducted in three districts of Blantyre, Zomba and Lilongwe.

By Leonard Masauli

Lilongwe, March 6, Mana: Global experts on plastics have called for countries to immediately act on climate impacts of plastics highlighting that about two billion tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (Co2e) is from the world’s production and use of plastic.

This comes on the sideline of a United Nations Environmental Assembly 6 (UNEA-6) conference held from 29^th February to 1^st March 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya.

A report shared and discussed at the conference, ‘Global actions to stem climate change and end plastic pollution’ by GRID-Arendal, a non-profit environmental communications centre based in Norway, investigates what needs to be addressed in the new international treaty to tackle the challenges of plastics in connection with climate change.

Managing Director for GRID-Arendal, Karen Landmark, said for plastics, the focus has for long been that plastics is a pollution problem hence the report highlights another problematic aspect of plastics-namely, its impact on climate, which largely stems from the production of plastic and plastic products.

“We believe it is essential to bring these findings to the attention of policymakers, making sure the international efforts are aimed at addressing this issue with plastic. 

“Our analysis highlights that plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions are not sufficiently addressed,” she said.

Landmark said Greenhouse gases are emitted throughout the entire life cycle of plastics, estimated as between 3.8 and 4.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“This will only grow as production of plastic continues to grow. Plastic pollution is accelerating climate change and making the impact of climate change worse. To achieve the most significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the most time and energy should be dedicated to minimising plastic production,” emphasized Landmark.

Senior expert on plastic and one of the authors on the new report, Leva Rucevska, said Plastic pollution is making climate change worse and there is need for linkages between plastics and the triple planetary crisis.

“To search for solutions and minimise harmful impacts on the environment and people, plastic action is climate action,” said Rucevska.

UNEA-6 is a political platform bringing together environment ministers from 193 member countries to set priorities for the global environmental agenda.

Among others, the UNEA-6 focused on the links between the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

Environmental Activist, Charles Bakolo, said Malawi requires an urgent action in waste management infrastructure and policies to effectively tackle plastic pollution.

Bakolo said despite ongoing efforts to collect waste, the rates remain insufficient, resulting in a considerable amount of plastic finding its way to the environment through various channels adding that lack of proper landfill facilities worsens the problem, with wastes often ending up in open dumpsite.

“For Malawi it is important to acknowledge both progress made and areas needing improvement. While waste collection efforts are in place, there is a clear need for more strategies which include reducing plastic usage, increasing recycling rates and stricter regulation and plastic production and disposal.

“Public awareness could also play important role for citizens to practice responsible waste management to reduce the negative environmental impacts of the plastics,” said Bakolo.

By Lyte Ali

Mangochi, March 6, Mana: In an effort to strengthen the relationship between police and people of M'baluku in the area of Group Village Head Ntagaluka, Traditional Authority (TA) Chowe in Mangochi, the law enforcers on Tuesday engaged communities in the area on the need to exercise politics of tolerance.

This follows a postponement of by-election for Mwansa Ward in the area for two consecutive times last year by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), following pre-electoral irregularities.

Speaking at the meeting, Officer In-Charge for Mangochi Police Station, Assistant Commissioner Morgan Dzonzi, said cordial relationship between the police and communities can help bring positive mindset among people thereby promoting working relationship in advancing tolerance.

Dzonzi said Mangochi Police is geared at creating a safe environment at M'baluku to encourage MEC to consider coming back in the area to conduct the by-elections.

"MEC has for several times failed to conduct by-election in Mwansa Ward due to some anomalies as a result of lack of tolerance. We took an initiative to come and talk with the community at M'baluku so that we together can achieve a violence free environment in order to allow communities exercise their right to vote.

"Therefore, encouraging communities to mainstream politics of tolerance would help allow citizens in the area to exercise their right to vote. We would continue with this engagement," said Dzonzi.

Group Village Head Ntagaluka commended Mangochi Police for its effort in creating a good relationship with his subordinates.

Ntagaluka assured the law enforcers of continued collaborative efforts in reducing crime in his area.

"I can assure you that the good relationship we have will help minimize some challenges that we have had in the past," said Ntagaluka.