Communities at Ganeti village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kaduya in Phalombe have hailed the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) which has helped to transform livelihood of communities through cash for work climate smart agricultural related activities.

Migowi Catchment Management Committee Secretary, Charity Chitseko said through the CS-EPWP, communities managed to control running water, plant and taking care of trees and vetiver grass at Mwananyani hill as well as constructing stone bands, among others.

“Our aim is to reforest Mwananyani hill which had no trees because of charcoal production, but we have now seen a great change. We are able to harvest more out of land conservation techniques unlike in the past when water was running uncontrollably down the hill into our fields destroying crops and causing soil erosion,” she said.

According to Chitseko, communities around Mwanayani hill also planted vetiver grass to control running water while using the same grass as feed for livestock.

She advised other community members to take advantage of all development activities that come in their area, saying most developmental interventions were eye openers capable of bringing best practices worth advancing.

Speaking earlier, Group Village head Ganet said CS-EPWP was ideal and relevant to communities in her area and was sure that the intervention would improve people’s livelihood.

She observed that most household in her area were food secure after abiding by the programme guidelines that in turn helped to build communities’ capacity on appropriate agricultural practices.

He asked fellow traditional leaders and their subjects to embrace interventions such as CS-EPWP for the good of their subjects.

Phalombe District Land Resource Officer, Aron Mwala also called on communities to make use of knowledge and skills acquired through CS-EPWP to plant more trees and practice all measures that would help in mitigating effects of natural disasters.

“Phalombe is a disaster prone district and the works been done helps to block running water that may cause flooding,” he said.

The programme started with 200 people during a pilot phase, but now has 500 participants.