Malawi, one of the Least Developed Countries in Africa, is highly dependent on its agricultural sector. Around 85 percent of the country’s population live in rural areas, with the majority engaged in smallholder farming. More than half of these people are currently living in poverty.
The already dire living conditions of rural people are further exacerbated by increasing climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts, and strong winds.
In addition to smallholder farmers, the livelihoods of fishing people is also under threat. Lake Malawi, one of the largest lakes in the world, is a central geographical and economic feature of the country. It provides food and jobs for millions of people living along its shoreline. Due to climatic changes, fishing people are already forced to search for fish further offshore. This means they regularly encounter more severe weather, while taking longer to return to the safety of the shoreline.
It is expected the frequency of climate-induced disasters will continue to grow, increasingly threatening Malawi’s most vulnerable communities. Therefore, boosting the country’s climate resilience and increasing community preparedness for the devastating impacts of climate change has become increasingly a national priority.
Read more:
https://reliefweb.int/report/malawi/protecting-malawi-climate-information-and-early-warning-systems