By Salome Gangire

Neno, August 31, Mana: Neno District Commissioner, Rosemary Nawasha, has commended the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) for   intervening to restore the district's once-thriving vegetative cover.

Nawasha expressed appreciation over CS-EPWP interventions on Friday at Chikonde Model Primary School when community members from Chiwale Catchment received cash payments after participating in cash for work environmental conservation activities.

The District Commissioner reflected on the district’s past, recalling Neno’s vast vegetative cover and rich biodiversity.

She said due to unsustainable human activities such as irresponsible tree cutting for charcoal production and cooking, this has left much of the district barren and vulnerable to soil erosion.

“Deforestation has led to severe surface runoff, leaving the land bare and accelerating soil erosion,” said Nawasha.

The DC said through activities like afforestation, creation of contour marker ridges and gully reclamation under the CS-EPWP, the district was making strides in reversing the trend.

She highlighted that the council was implementing several activities to deal with illegal and careless tree cutting so as to restore lost vegetative cover.

“We have been working closely with communities and their leaders to discourage deforestation. Additionally, we conduct regular patrols in collaboration with the police and forest officers to prevent environmental harm,” the District Commissioner added.

Despite challenges such as a shortage of enforcement officers, Nawasha said was optimistic that the council will curb illegal activities that threaten the environment.

She therefore urged CS-EPWP participants to use their earnings wisely, prioritising essential needs like food and child education as schools will soon open.

“Government provide funds to ensure wellbeing of families as they participate in environmental conservation activities within the programme,” she said.

Programme Facilitator for CS-EPWP in Neno, Chrissy Kamanga explained that it takes participants to work for 24 paid days and 10-days community service to earn MK38, 400 per cycle.  

She said the programme is not only meant to restore the district's natural environment but also meant to improve livelihood of participants that can afford basic household necessities.

Kamanga said Neno District has 14,228 participants engaged across 14 micro-catchments contributing to environmental restoration and other related community initiated activities.

One of the participants from Chiwale Catchment, Dick Kapingasa of Joliji village at Traditional Authority Chekucheku said was grateful to government for introducing CE-EPWP in his area.

He said CE-EPWP was significant in restoring the environment apart from improving household income among participants that receive payments per cycle.

CS-EPWP is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Programme (SSRLP), implemented by the Malawi Government through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with funding from the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.