Enhancing Disaster Preparedness in Malawi

Context and Objectives

Preparedness is the first step for a shock-responsive Disaster Risk Management (DRM) structure to safe-guard the development gains in a country, achieve steady state economic growth, minimize expenditure on relief and recovery, as well as build resilience in the face of climate change. Effective preparedness systems reduce harm to the community at risk during a hazard occurrence, protects lives and livelihoods and reduces damage to property.

At the request of Malawi's Ministry of Finance, Economy, Planning, and Development, the ACP-EU NDRR Program provided technical assistance to strengthen the government’s capacity to prepare for disasters to minimize their effects and impacts in disaster-prone areas of the country.

Main activities and Results

• Component 1: strengthening the drought early warning system. This component supported efforts to strengthen the existing drought early warning system. This was achieved by facilitating the coordination and improving the communication across ministries, departments, agencies and institutions that are responsible for drought management in the country. 
• Component 2: developing contingency plans. This component supported mechanisms to facilitate early financing for disaster response actions through:
  • (i) early preparation of contingency plans for selected districts in the country, 
  • (ii) early preparation of contingency plans for water supply for water boards, 
  • (iii) lobby for inclusion of the contingency budget in the national budget, and 
  • (iv) review of contingency plans once the seasonal forecast is released. The main objective of this component was to carry out drought risk assessment and develop a contingency plan.
• Component 3: building capacity of civil protection committees. This component supported establishing and building capacity of district and community civil protection committees in selected districts which are affected by drought and floods. This component is financing activities to build the capacities of civil protection committees to implement activities that contribute to preparedness of the communities. 

Overall, the government has realized that disaster preparedness is the first step in a shock-responsive DRM structure that can safeguard development gains, support steady economic growth, minimize expenditures on relief and recovery, and help build resilience in the face of climate change. The Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development worked to strengthen its capacity to prepare for disasters, to minimize the effects and impacts of disasters in the most vulnerable areas of the country. This was mainly achieved through strengthening the drought early warning system, developing contingency plans, and building the capacity of civil protection committees.

Partnership and Coordination

The World Bank supported the project's implementation together with key government counterparts within the Department of Disaster Management Affairs. Other counterparts included the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Irrigation and the Department of Land Resources, and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.