Background: In the last two decades, Malawi, a low-income country in southern Africa, has faced severe droughts and dry spells, or heavy rains leading to floods, among others. Such extreme weather events have devastating impacts on hundreds of thousands of families in an already dire situation. These climate-related challenges have seriously damaged Malawi’s agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and overall development indicators, calling for the urgent need for effective climate adaptation and strategies.
Our approach: Partners In Health (PIH) has supported the Malawi government in responding to climate change since 2007. The organization supports community-based adaptation strategies, enhances local health systems to better respond to climate-related emergencies, and promotes sustainable practices that reduce environmental impact. PIH aims to empower communities to better withstand climate shocks, fostering long-term sustainability. This creates more resilient communities capable of adapting to the escalating impacts of climate change while advancing sustainable development goals.
Case example: In 2022, PIH identified 1,233 local farmers and distributed 1,773 goats, which, when multiplied, should be passed on to other similar households. The goats are a source of income, and their manure boosts soil fertility. Goat dung is a source of biogas for cooking, and goats are resilient to climatic shocks.
Lessons learnt: Reducing climatic shocks and economic disparities that most communities face remains the greatest need. This must be approached in a multi-sectoral manner by empowering local farmers with relevant skills, information, and capacities, enabling them to develop self-sustaining initiatives that can withstand the test of time, both before and after shocks.
