Human Dynamics to lead project to help Malawi fight Climate Change

Start of Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) – Malawi, Planning for Climate Change
01.06.2015

Human Dynamics has recently won the 36-month EuropeAid Technical Assistance Contract Global Climate Change Alliance Malawi: Planning for Climate Change. Implementation is to begin imminently. 

Human Dynamics have drawn together a consortium with BRL Ingénierie, CES Consulting Engineers Salzgitter GmbH, and SOPEX Consulting to leverage each of their unique skills to assist Malawi to combat the effects of climate change.

Impact

The project will work to improve the lives of some of those who will be hardest-hit by climate change in Malawi — the smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are entirely dependent on agriculture. The impacts of climate change have the potential to adversely affect food security and efforts in poverty reduction, unless adaption and mitigation measures are put in place now.

Thus, the project's overall objective is to alleviate poverty through enhancing the resilience of Malawian institutions and communities at national and local levels to climate change risks and impacts.

The main areas of focus are as follows.

  1. The irrigation sector, which is expanding rapidly, provides a locus for adaptation and also directly assists smallholder farmers. In this respect, the project is expected to result in strengthened capacity of the irrigation sector to plan, implement and operate irrigation schemes taking into account the consequences of climate change.
  2. District development strategies for natural resources, agriculture and forestry in four heavily impacted districts: Neno, Phalombe, Balantyne and Zomba. The expected result is improved understanding and strengthened capacity to plan district development in natural resources, agriculture and forestry, taking into account the consequences of climate change in these four districts.

Steps toward impact

The project will build capacity within the Department of Irrigation at Divisional and District Level in climate change planning. At District and Water User’s Associations Level the project will develop competences in operating irrigation schemes taking into consideration the effects of climate change. Furthermore, the Technical Assistance Team will provide support to District Authorities in updating Development Strategies taking into consideration the impacts of the climate change on natural resources, agriculture and forestry. At the end of the project, 4 District Strategies will have been updated and climate change training manuals developed for District councils.

Specific services provided will include:

  • Institutional analysis and capacity building needs assessment
  • Carrying-out a climate change vulnerability assessment in each district
  • Mainstreaming adaptation and mitigation measures into the planning process and aligning strategies with the wider policy framework and Malawi NAMAs (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions) for natural resources, agriculture and forestry
  • Development of a capacity development programme in planning, design, construction and operation of irrigation schemes
  • Capacity building of Department of Irrigation officials and members of Water User Associations in operation of irrigation schemes
  • Performing training needs assessment in District Authorities and GCCP grant beneficiaries
  • Development of training materials
  • Design of blended-learning capacity development modules and training materials
  • Delivery of blended-learning programme (residential workshop-based, mobile training teams, coaching and mentoring, internet-based distance learning)
  • Practical on-the-job training on integration of climate change into planning, implementation and operation of irrigation schemes
  • Development of District Development Strategies updated to account for the consequences of climate change
  • Communication and Visibility activities.