Our Projects · Disaster Risk Management & Ecosystem Restoration

Rain CommunityMalawi

Communauté de Pluie Malawi

IRHA and its Alliance member RHAM are preparing a Rain Community in Malawi, the next step for IRHA's landscape approach to rainwater.

Under developmentDisaster Risk Management & Ecosystem Restorationin preparation to verify: planned start

WhereMalawi to verify: district

Whenin preparation to verify: planned start

WithRHAM, the Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi

Rainfall≈ 1,181 mm a year in Malawinational average, World Bank; local figure to add

The Challenge

to verify: local context from the project proposal – rainfall, land degradation, water access. In Malawi, domestic and institutional rainwater harvesting has grown in recent years. RHAM reports that harvested rainwater used for market gardening improves household incomes and child nutrition. A Rain Community manages rainwater as a connected system that links water, soil, vegetation and livelihoods across a landscape.

Rain in Malawi: about 1,181 mm a year, mostly November to April. Source: World Bank.

rainfall chart to add

What We Do

The project is being prepared. The plan is to adapt the Rain Community approach that IRHA has developed with partners in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Its usual tools are: – 3D participatory and risk mapping with communities; – rainwater tanks for households and public buildings; – spring and pond rehabilitation; – reforestation and agroecology; – support to local governance of water. Which tools will be used in Malawi is to verify.

3D participatory and risk mapping with communities;
rainwater tanks for households and public buildings;
spring and pond rehabilitation;
reforestation and agroecology;
support to local governance of water.

Expected Results

to verify: expected results and figures

Progress So Far

RHAM's chairman, Macpherson Nthara, presented Malawi's rainwater experience at a virtual side event of the UN 2023 Water Conference, held by IRHA with Alliance members and partners.
In May 2023, IRHA supported his participation in the conference of the South Asia Rainwater Network (SARNET) in Sri Lanka, to link Alliance members.

More photos of this project to add (consent checked).