Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) – Malawi, Planning for climate change

Promoting skills to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts

Human Dynamics, as consortium leader, implemented Component 1 of the EU GCCA programme in Malawi through the Planning for Climate Change (PCC) service contract.

The GCCA was established by the European Union in 2007 to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with developing countries, in particular least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS). It is now the world’s most significant global climate change initiative, with EUR 300 million directed to support 51 programmes around the world. It is active in 38 countries, 8 regions and sub-regions and at the global level.

Malawi is benefiting from an EUR 8 million targeted GCCA national programme with overall objective to alleviate poverty through enhancing the resilience to climate change risks and impacts of Malawian institutions and communities at national and local level. The programme is divided into two main components: Component 1 Mainstreaming and Component 2 Community Resilience.

Within Component 1, Human Dynamics is tasked to ensure that understandings of climate change and skills to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts are mainstreamed (1) in the irrigation sector in Malawi at national and district levels, and (2) in district development strategies for natural resources, agriculture and forestry in four heavily impacted districts — Neno, Phalombe, Blantyre and Zomba. Correspondingly, our PCC project team are working to strengthen the capacity of the irrigation sector to plan, implement and operate irrigation schemes taking into account the consequences of climate change; and to improve the understanding and capacity of each district to plan district developments in natural resources, agriculture and forestry, taking into account the consequences of climate change. 

Our Project Director, Mr Rade Glomazic, has maintained that climate change is jeopardising gains in the fight against hunger, and as such it is vital to work to improve the lives of those affected. The PCC project specifically seeks to build capacity in climate change planning within the Department of Irrigation at the national, divisional and district level. At the level of District and Water User’s Associations, the project will develop the organisation’s competence to operate irrigation schemes factoring in the effects of climate change through applied training and mentoring to mainstream climate change responsiveness.

Furthermore, we will provide support to the four selected District Authorities in updating their Development Strategies to include consideration of the impact of climate change on natural resources, agriculture and forestry. The support will also involve various capacity building and training activities in close cooperation with UN FAO, tasked to implement GCCA Component 2 in the four districts.

Project brief

Title: Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) – Malawi, Planning for climate change
Location: Malawi
Sector:
Environment
Client: EU
Start: Jun 2015
Duration: 30 months
Status: Completed