In Kakungu community, Lilongwe, lies a small forest of acacia trees that defies dry days.
The green island in the vast spread of brown barren fields was planted in 2014 to reduce impact of climate change on the community.
Walking in the village, several trees come into sight-in the homesteads, along footpaths or making boundaries of crop fields where yields keep falling.
The trees from inviting shades, emitting fresh air on sweltering days. The acacia woodlots aside, the village does not have many trees.
Just five years ago, there was no shade to hide on a sunny day. Women used to endure long walks to fetch firewood, wasting time best spent on income generating activities and uplifting their livelihoods.
Assessments by Plan international Malawi showed them that the uneven rain patterns and dwindling agricultural productivity had to do with the loss of trees.
Perching in a tree shade, Arnold Njolomole says it was easier to encourage his community to plant trees because restoring the green cover lessens the impact of climate change.
He says: “The land was treeless, rains were unpredictable, soil erosion was rampant and crop yield was falling.”
”Every year, rainfalls swept away topsoil into Mbabvi River, leaving the fields gullied and bare.”
Njolomole’s community approached Plan International Malawi to support their tree planting initiative to protect their main source of livelihood.
And the organisation offered them skills, seeds and polythene tubes in aid of the desired conservation works.
Smart Kampango, forestry extension worker in the area, says the community lost every tree to overdependence on firewood and charcoal for cooking.
Nearly 97 in every 100 Malawians cook using firewood, charcoal and crop residues, according to the Department of Energy.
”Apart from this community-owned forest, every individual in our village takes the initiative to plant trees around their houses and gardens. In 2014, we had fewer trees. Nowadays, the area has reduced soil erosion,” he says.
Plan International Malawi’s Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change Project spanned from 2014 and 2019.
The project supporting Kakungu community to be resilient to improve their livelihoods despite natural disasters caused by climate shocks.
Project manager Billy Mukwikwi says: ”We noticed that climate change heavily affected the weather and environment in the area, disrupting livelihoods of local people and crop productivity.”
”When we analysed the situation, we found that most trees had been wiped out by people who make charcoal and firewood. As a result, soil was being eroded by run-offs. All these affected agricultural productivity.”
The first phase of the project elapsed in 2019, but its impacts are set to remain for a long time.
Kakungu has planted 49 000 trees.
The trees now give the village a new look. Some members of the community say they are already able to get firewood.
Some sell mature trees to increase their household income while others use the trees to construct new homes.
But the significance is more profound in terms of combating climate change.
In their crop fields, the trees have almost made soil erosion history.
The Nation_June 11, 2020_Chawanangwa Nyirenda-Plan International Malawi