Gift Njobvu from Mwiza village in Chiputula village told journalists that he was able to harvest a good number of bags of maize, sweet potatoes and some beans.

He added that he is now in a position to participate in the Climate Smart Enhanced Public works program to restore degraded catchment areas, sentiments that were echoed by extension workers.

“I am relatively better in terms of food security than others. That aside, I also take part in climate smart enhanced public works to take care of the environment like planting trees, natural regeneration, protecting rivers banks among others,” said Njobvu.

The Government through its Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) targets beneficiaries of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme and the Social Cash Transfers.

The Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme is a two-year programme under the SSRLP that is funded by the World Bank and the Multi Donor Trust Fund.

Currently, authorities in Chikwawa are distributing cash to over 38,000 families, where each household is receiving K150,000 to ensure that all survivors have food.

This is the once off payment covering October to December 2023 to mitigate against cyclone Freddy impacts in the district to the total tune of about K5.9billion.

Senior Land Conservation Officer, Ackim Dickson said both the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme and cash transfers are aimed at supporting the people to achieve resilience and productivity.

“We are now working hard to restore degraded areas for the district to minimize threats of flooding thereby saving people’ lives and property. We also want farmers to have fertile soils for them to achieve food security,” said Dickson.

Some beneficiaries of the once off cash transfers, Grace Joncholo and Mathews Dizilo from Makhuwira area said the money will assist them to buy food, take part in village savings and loans, (VSL) activities and pay fees for their children.

Joncholo, a mother of five thanked government and donors for the support saying the cyclone Freddy left her hopeless as her crops were washed away with her house damaged.

This comes when several thousands of villagers are still struggling to make ends meet due to the effects of the cyclone which hit hard in the southern region of Malawi in March this year.

Apart from the worsening hunger situation, some public infrastructure, mainly roads and bridges are yet to be rehabilitated.