Malawi secures $52.3 million Green Climate Fund to improve climate resilience and food security

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a $52.3 million project for Malawi in a major effort to improve long-term food security and combat climate change. The initiative, spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will benefit nearly 575,000 vulnerable people in rural communities over the next six years. The project, known as Ecosystem-based adaptation for resilient watersheds and communities in Malawi (EbAM) was approved at the 39th GCF Board meeting in Songdo, South Korea.

FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo stressed the comprehensive and inclusive nature of the project, highlighting its potential to address both environmental and socio-economic challenges in Malawi. She expressed optimism about working with Malawian counterparts to transform the agricultural sector through ecosystem-based climate actions.

Malawi, recognized as one of the poorest countries in the world with 70% of the population living below the poverty line, relies heavily on rain-fed agriculture. The country is already struggling with the negative effects of climate change, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increasingly extreme weather events. In 2023, Malawi faced acute food insecurity due to a drastic reduction in maize production, caused by droughts and floods associated with tropical cyclones, and continued land degradation.

The project aims to increase the resilience of rural communities by applying ecosystem-based approaches and sustainable water and soil management practices. It plans to restore more than 83,000 hectares of communal and agricultural land and uses an inclusive strategy that involves women, youth and other vulnerable groups in all project activities.

Local communities are encouraged to develop village action plans (VLAPs) for the conservation and sustainable management of landscapes. These plans include green infrastructure projects such as trench plugs and dams, and sustainable forest management. Participants receive native seeds, seedlings and necessary materials such as wheelbarrows, shovels and wire to support their efforts.

Farmer Field Schools provide community members with essential knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices that increase resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The curriculum includes topics such as agrobiodiversity, drought-resistant crops, and the use of weather information.

In addition to improving livelihoods and resilience, the project aims to improve farmers’ access to markets and financing opportunities. This will be achieved through strengthening Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA), establishing producer public-private partnerships, capacity building for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and technical support to financial institutions.

Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture, Sam Dalitso Kawale, hailed the project as a historic moment for the country’s agricultural sector, noting that the investment would significantly increase the resilience of rural communities by promoting effective water and soil management practices that are essential for sustainable agricultural production.