By Wilfred Golden

The Government of Japan says it is committed in improving the country’s resilience to the crisis caused by climate change by providing support through projects such as peace building, economic empowerment as well as the climate change control measures adoption.

Japanese ambassador to Malawi Youichi Oya said despite the shortfalls that the project has not reached the whole country, he is optimistic that funds will be added on for further extention so that others can also benefit.

Oya was speaking this in Zomba when he toured Mafuwa irrigation scheme in Nanyanga and Mikuyu biogas plant at Mikuyu young offenders prison.

On his part, Yusuf Nkungula, Principal Secretary in the ministry of natural resources and climate change said these two interventions that are being implemented in Zomba are very important as they are also contributing to Malawi’s 2063 aspirations centering on climate change mitigation impacts.

“We saw earlier on soral irrigation scheme which is helping the communities in terms of adaptation and also mitigation of climate change impacts while also improving the livelihoods of the communities and again we have witnessed the biogas plant at Mikuyu prison which also contributing to the conservation of natural resources because they are no longer using fire hood as they use gas.So these two interventions are very important as they contribute to long term interventions in terms of climate change management in Malawi,” he said.

On her part, Mary Mbonekera, officer in charge at Mikuyu young offenders prison said the biogas plant has eased many problems which they used to experience with the use of fire wood and she has pleaded for the extension of the projects through out the country as their colleagues in many prisons across the country are facing problems in the use of fire wood.

The interventions were initiatiated in two phases starting from March 2022 to March 2023 to the tune of 3.8 million US dollars and this is the second phase which is slated to finish next year with 1 million US dollars disbursed.

Six districts which are Zomba, Machinga, Kasungu, Ntchisi, Nkhotakota and Dowa were put in the first phase whilst the second phase is having Nkhotakota as the target.

Japan collaborates with United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) in the provision of market-oriented horticulture training to vulnerable households in the country.