Minister Chimulirenji says Cabinet approves National Resilience Strategy
Cabinet has approved the National Resilience Strategy (NRS), a 12-year National Plan which aims at breaking the cycle of food and nutrition insecurity by bridging development and humanitarian interventions, among others.
A statement released on March 4, 2020 and signed by Minister of Disaster Management Affairs and Public Events, Everton Chimulirenji, government says the approval provides a platform for the implementation of the strategy.
According to the statement, the development of the strategy dates back to 2015/2016 when the country experienced late rainfall, prolonged dry spells and flooding in a number of districts, which were coupled with the cyclical seasonal food crisis and chronic food and nutrition insecurity.
‘These disasters prompted a reflection by the government and its development partners on the urgent need for policy shifts and new approaches that create a solid foundation for sustainable pathways out of poverty and expanded growth,’ the statement reads in part.
The strategy will help the government and all the other stakeholder to focus programmes and interventions, which put the country on the right path in its pursuit of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
‘The strategy will serve as a roadmap and instrument for the government and its development partners to guide program design, funding decisions and priorities as a way of guiding Malawi towards reaching the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,’ it reads.
The Strategy was aligned to other national policy frameworks including the country’s short-term development outline, the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III, the National Disaster Risk Management Policy, the National Agriculture Policy and the Malawi National Social Support Programme (MNSSP) II, among others.
The Policy has four major pillars namely; resilient agricultural growth; risk reduction, flood control, early warning and response systems; human capacity, livelihoods and social protection; and catchment protection and management.
The Statement appeals to the donor community, humanitarian partners, the private sector, the public and all the stakeholders to support the implementation of the strategy, saying government was committed to implementing the strategy working with all stakeholders.
