By Yankho Kandio

SALIMA, MANA: In the sun-baked plains of Salima District, where dry spells stretch longer each year and rainfall has grown increasingly unpredictable, something remarkable is happening. Other than waiting for assistance from elsewhere, communities are taking positions to confront climate change with home-grown solutions.

At the heart of this grassroots movement is the Least Developed Countries Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR).

Launched globally during COP25 in 2019 and currently being piloted in Malawi’s Salima, Rumphi, and Mangochi districts, the initiative marks a shift from traditional top-down climate responses.

Instead, it prioritizes long-term, locally led planning, giving communities the power and resources to design their own adaptation strategies.

In Salima, the results are already visible: Villagers, who were once at the mercy of degrading landscapes and failed harvests, are now leading efforts to restore their environment and protect their livelihoods through tree planting, sustainable agriculture, and forest-friendly income-generating activities.

Group Village Head Chifuchambewa, also known as Medison Kholole, recalls years of unanswered pleas for climate assistance until LIFE-AR arrived.

 “For a long time we have been asking for help through the council; When this project came, the community felt a long-awaited sense of recognition,” he says.

Under the initiative, residents have planted mango, banana, and bamboo trees, selected not just for their environmental benefits, but also for their potential to provide food and income.

A Farmer from Chifuchambewa area, Bester Chikaonda, one of the project’s participants, says the mango trees have brought hope to his household.

 “Planting these mango trees means I can fight climate change while improving the surrounding of my household: In a few years, I will not only have shade and fruit, but I’ll also be part of restoring the land,” says Chikaonda.

Another smallholder farmer, Lyca Paul, applauds the project for the provision of banana suckers, which, according to the farmers, came at a critical time.

“Rainfall has become unreliable: we plant and wait, and then the crops wither. But these banana plants will help us with food and income. They are more resilient, and that gives me hope,” she explains.

Behind these efforts is a commitment to inclusivity. LIFE-AR ensures the participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups, making sure that all voices are heard and everyone has a role in climate action.

According to Acting Director of Natural Resources and Environment for Salima district council, Adam Jason, the community-led model has proven to be highly effective in tackling Salima’s environmental challenges.

“The LIFE-AR initiative is demand-driven: Communities were supported to come up with their own investment proposals, identifying the solutions that work best for their unique challenges. We are now seeing action on the ground and the energy is coming directly from the people,” explains Jason.

One of the major concerns in the district has been environmental degradation, largely fueled by deforestation. As households struggle to meet energy needs and replace failed crops, trees are cut down at an alarming rate.

This, in turn, worsens flooding, reduces river capacity, and dries up water tables, with even fish breeding grounds suffering from increased siltation.

In response, the government and partners are promoting forest and landscape restoration, through the use of energy-saving cooking stoves, and alternative livelihoods such as piggery.

Despite the progress, challenges persist: Crop failures continue due to irregular weather, and hunger is an ever-present threat.

GVH Chifuchambewa emphasizes the need for urgent investment in irrigation to help communities farm throughout the year.

 “We are asking government to help us speed up the establishment of irrigation schemes so we can farm in the dry season too,” he says.

The transformation underway in Salima stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when communities are empowered to lead.

Through LIFE-AR, the communities are not just adapting to climate change, they are reclaiming, and restoring hope in the face of an uncertain future.