CISONECC advancing district collaboration for sustainable natural resource management”

Civil Society Network of Climate Change (CISONECC), in collaboration with its partners, has successfully concluded a two-day District Training on Monitoring & Evaluation and Sustainable Natural Resources Management in Machinga district.

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The primary objective of this initiative was to promote collaboration at the district level for monitoring biodiversity and natural resources in the Lake Chirwa Basin.

Highlighting the importance of this activity in fostering district-level collaboration, CISONECC Programme Officer, Lisa Banda, emphasized its significance.

Madalitso Snake from the College of Fisheries identified challenges such as political influences, outdated acts, low fines, and resource constraints affecting biodiversity management during the training.

Snake emphasized the imperative for sustainable resource management, asserting that natural resources are crucial for current needs but must be preserved for future generations. He underscored that achieving sustainability necessitates consideration of environmental, social, and economic factors.

“Sustainability seeks to maintain and enhance the well-being of both human and natural systems over the long term, recognizing the interconnectedness of ecological health, social equity, and economic prosperity,” said Snake.

In her words, Dr. Gladys Chigamba, a Research Officer in the Department of Fisheries, stressed the importance of viewing water as an economic good to promote responsible use and conservation efforts.

Chigamba highlighted the interconnectedness of biodiversity within the basin and emphasized the need for a serious commitment to sustainable practices and community involvement.

“We have to remind each other so that we continue preserving our natural resources, not distorting them,” she said.

CISONECC, in collaboration with partners and with financial support from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) through the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and Trocaire, is actively implementing a Community-led Planning and Management for Biodiversity Protection and Resilient Communities in the Catchment Area of Lake Chilwa, Malawi Programme.

The overarching goal of the program is to ensure that rural communities around Lake Chilwa Basin become more environmentally and economically sustainable and resilient through a rehabilitated, sustainably managed, and protected Lake Chilwa Basin.