Results:

1. Targeted women, men, and youth near protected areas have diversified livelihoods and income sources.

2.  Targeted communities protect, restore and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

3. Positive enabling environment is established where duty bearers policies, laws and institutional practices related to wildlife and forest management effectively mitigate climate change and are responsive to the well-being of communities surrounding protected areas.

4. CSOs have strengthened operational, managerial and technical capacity to engage in climate change mitigation programming.

Geographical area covered: Three districts (Kasungu, Chikwawa and Nsanje)

Key achievements so far:

• Conducted three participatory market and value chain analysis exercise covering a total of 11 value chains. Following the completion of the value chain analysis, 127 existing Village Savings and Loans groups across the Action’s target areas have been trained in business management and Income Generating Activities have been formed from within these groups engaging in different value chains.
• Promoted Apiculture in all targeted protected areas. In the reporting year, the project enhanced the apiculture management capacity of 25 apiculture clubs through a three day bee keeping management training. A total of 220 beehives have been mounted across the project area.
• Facilitated access to water in targeted communities by drilling boreholes in protected areas surrounding communities and in wildlife protected areas to reduce wildlife/human conflicts.
• Established 190 community tree planting nurseries across the seven project Traditional Authorities resulting in 257,000 tree seedlings being raised and planted.
• Conducted conservation education with school clubs across 31 targeted Group Village Heads as a way of engaging the youth in nature conservation.
• Provided 340 giant bamboo seedlings for soil and water conservation. 34 farmers planted 10 seedlings each from the distributed seedlings. Communities also planted hedge rolls of nitrogen fixing plants.
• Also reached out to 243 (170 Female, 73 Male) beneficiaries engaged in broom and mats production; and 123 (79 Female, 44 Male) community members benefiting from small livestock.