RCE NETWORK

Last updated: October 23, 2019

RCE Zomba

Photo Credit: RCE Zomba

Rce details

Region:

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST

Country:

Malawi

Overview

Date of RCE acknowledgement:

March, 2008

Description of RCE and Geographic Region:

RCE Zomba comprises stakeholders from government departments, academia and non-governmental organisations who engage in activities related to policy, research, community engagement and environmental education.

Zomba City is bordered by the Zomba Plateau and Lake Chilwa, the second largest lake in the country which is also a designated RAMSAR site and Man & Biosphere Reserve. As any city in Malawi, Zomba faces challenges related to poverty, unplanned settlements, rapid population growth, deforestation and waste management. These environmental problems are intensified by adverse effects related to climate change which puts pressure on natural resources found on and around the mountain as well as in and around the lake. Since its acknowledgement, RCE Zomba stakeholders have undertaken several activities to address sustainable development challenges in five key focus areas namely land degradation, adverse climate change impacts, deforestation, waste management and loss of biodiversity.

Goals and Objectives:

Organisation Hosting RCE Secretariat:

Key Partners:

Activities

Current Activities:

Intensifying tree planting on the mountain, along river banks and around homesteads, students being active participants in such activities
Training women in tree nursery management as a source of income and a form of capacity building.
Training communities and school children in briquette making from waste materials e.g. paper, crop residues and dead leaves as a source of fuelwood to reduce demand for charcoal thereby combating deforestation.
Using media in role play, drama, dance and music to convey messages related to conservation of biodiversity
Promoting conservation agriculture and sustainable fisheries
Utilising Chanco Community Radio as a channel for disseminating success stories related to adaptation and mitigation against climate change. New Radio Listening Clubs continue to be established.
Intensifying waste removal around institutions and open markets; linking sanitation to environmental health
Mainstreaming ESD in formal education by revising curricula to include modules that emphasise sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Public awareness meetings about the RCE network through talks to interested groups so as to expand membership and number of RCEs in Malawi