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This week, ClimatePrep, the WWF Adaptation blog is exploring the WATERS project in Malawi. The project aims to reduce the poorest rural population’s vulnerability to climate change impacts by linking local government, civil society and community to enable integrated environmental management. See post below and visit ClimatePrep.org for more information.

The WATERS Project in Malawi
By Regina Junio

Malawi is highly sensitive to the impacts of climate change, and the people who live there are heavily dependent on the environment and natural resources for food, economic gain and even socio-cultural activities. Whatever impacts climate change has on the environment will ultimately impact the well-being of the people. Tragically, in a least developed country like Malawi, the poorest and most vulnerable bear the brunt of climate change.

Among sub-Saharan African countries, Malawi is one of the first to put into place an extensive policy framework designed to encourage decentralised environmental management. However, since the decentralization process is still relatively new in Malawi, the devolution of responsibilities from national administration to local district government have not yet been fully achieved. Therefore, to support the decentralization process, Voluntary Service Overseas-Malawi (VSO-Malawi) together with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), LEAD-Southern and Eastern Africa (LEAD-SEA), and the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA) implemented Water Futures: Towards Equitable Resource Strategies: The Waters Project.