By Vincent Gunde
The Climate Smart Public Works Program (CSPWP) which registered 19,630 households has now completed its first year with 3 cycles and the Dowa District Council has been given additional 3,836 participants to register and will now have 23,466 participants.
CSPWP is a sub-component of Enhanced Core Programmes under the improving Social and Economic Inclusion component in the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) to improve resilience among the poor and vulnerable population and to strengthen the national platform for safety nets in Malawi.
Briefing the full Council meeting in Dowa, Ministry of Agriculture’s Land Resource Conservation Officer for Dowa Tarmerson Mhone, said the programmed is aimed at addressing the challenges faced during the implementation of the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF) 1V Public Works Programme.
Mhone said lessons learnt from the EPWP pilot were consolidated and incorporated in the CSPWP saying the additional participants are to be added in ( I ) existing catchments, (11) in the increased area in existing catchments (111 ) in the new created catchment.
He said the primary objective of the programme is to create visible, durable and quality assets to improve household resilience to shocks, increase impact on household level incomes and food security and reducing household’s exposure to risks associated with climate change and other disasters.
The officer said the eligibility criteria of the programme include; households that are ultra-poor, household with labour capacity, households that are within the villages around the catchment, participants to work for the first 12 days of the month at K1,200 per day working for 4 hours , among others.
He said the focus of the CSPWP is on integrated management covering sub-projects is land resource conservation, afforestation, natural regeneration, and sustainable livelihoods.
“CSPWP follows the successful implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) pilot in 10 councils including Dowa,” The results of the programme is being noticed as the problem of land degradation is being restored back . said Mhone.
Mhone said the sites for additional participants are Chankhungu in the area of T/A Mkukula, Chiponde in the area of T/A Mponela, Matekenya and Chisato in the area of Senior Chief Msakambewa and Cheyo in the area of TA Chiwere in the district.
