Global Evergreen Alliance targets 380, 000 households in Restore Africa Programme
Global Evergreen Alliance (GEA), through Restore Africa Programme, has targeted 380,000 farming households from seven districts for restoration of land and regeneration of trees to improve livelihoods for a period of five years from 2022 to 2027.
The project will be implemented by a consortium of local agencies led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Ntcheu, Chitipa, Mzimba, Zomba, Neno, Machinga and Mangochi.
350,000 hectares of land has been earmarked to be restored in the mentioned districts.
Chitipa District Commissioner, Macmillan Magomero launched the project on Thursday in Lilongwe.
Magomero said government is committed to give full support to the project as it will improve the livelihoods of Malawians.
“This project is not for an individual but it is for all of us Malawians therefore all district councils supposed to take part,” he said.
GEA-Restore Africa Program Manager, Dr Jonathan Mariuki said the program is set to increase agricultural output, diversification and climate resilience in Malawi.
“This program will mitigate the impacts of droughts, floods, landslides thereby creating resilient communities,” he said.
Mariuki added that the project in Malawi is part of a much larger programme that will restore 1.9million hectares of land, supporting 1.5million Smallholder farming families across six countries of Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
CRS Country Director, Sekai Mudonhi said the project will focus on improving livelihoods towards enhancing household income so that people can afford alternative sources of energy and reduce pressure on forests.
“Once we improve livelihoods, we are also going to improve income earnings consequently improving energy alternatives,” she said.
Mudonhi further said the restoration process is not about just planting trees but the technical teams will work with farming communities to upgrade and improve existing agroforestry practices and integrate trees into various farming systems to improve soil and water management and contribute to improved livelihoods.
At the same time, she said, growing millions of trees to improve farming systems across Malawi, trees will be capturing carbon from the atmosphere and mitigating the effects of climate change.
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