Cyclone Freddy: Locally Led Protection Measures Preserves Lives and Property in Zomba

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Participants now have stable running water they are using to irrigate their gardens. © Titukulane RFSA 2023/Samuel Chibaya


Although Cyclone Freddy severely battered much of Zomba, lives and property were saved, thanks to the adoption of watershed protection practices. Led by Lifa Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNMRC), over 3,000 households protected their watershed with water and soil conservation structures such as swales, check dams, eyebrows, deep trenches, and stone bunds before the devastating rainy season.

Evelyn Mwada, secretary for Lifa Watershed in Zomba, recounted the effectiveness of the protection measures: "When the stormy winds and torrential rains came, many of the structures stood strong. Out of 3,000 check dams, only 168 were damaged; out of 1,050 swales, 700 were damaged; out of 500 cubic meters of stone bunds, 100 were damaged, and there was no damage on the 1,000 cubic meters of deep trenches. Titukulane has trained us on how to protect our areas."

Ellen Nixon, a member of the Life Watershed Forest Committee, appreciated that the restored uplands around their villages also offered protection. "We planted 6,880 trees, and those that were damaged are 1,480." Due to the protective measures, "we have realized increased harvests in our fields," added Ellen.

The locals have also invested in beehives in the nearby forest. "All the 20 beehives have been colonized," Ellen shared. The community's proactive approach to watershed protection, guided by Titukulane, has demonstrated its effectiveness in preserving lives and property during the destructive Cyclone Freddy. 



Location: Zomba, Malawi

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