Update: Lake Malawi water levels have reached a 45-year high of 475.69 metres above sea level, threatening lakeshore infrastructure, farming, tourism, and downstream electricity generation, according to Nation Online. National Water Resources Authority spokesperson Masozi Kasambala stated that continuous above-normal rainfall has added huge water volumes to major rivers and the lake, prompting the authority to increase discharge volumes at the Kamuzu Barrage. The Department of Disaster Management Affairs warned that the threat of flash floods induced by the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone remains severe in lakeshore and low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has restored 5,873 hectares of degraded forest and land around the Mpira Dam catchment in Ntcheu District, according to a recent agency report. This project surpassed its 5,000-hectare target and contributes to Malawi's Bonn Challenge commitment to restore 4.5 million hectares by 2030. The programme integrated environmental rehabilitation with sustainable livelihood support, providing community members with agroforestry training, beekeeping equipment, and livestock to reduce their reliance on charcoal production and the Mvai Forest Reserve.
Farmers in the northern districts of Rumphi and Mzimba are increasingly adopting agroecology to adapt to extreme weather and high chemical fertiliser prices, Mongabay reports. By applying ecological principles such as organic manure use, crop rotation, and water conservation, smallholder farmers have cut fertiliser costs by over 40 percent while improving soil health and crop yields. Ministry of Agriculture Director of Land Resources Gertrude Kambauwa acknowledged that agroecology is an effective method to combat environmental degradation and climate change in the agricultural sector.
The Malawi Government has commended the Jesuit Centre for Ecology and Development for its environmental conservation work, according to Nyasa Times. Speaking at a workshop supported by Trocaire Malawi, Ministry of Agriculture Chief Land Management Training Officer Anderson Kawejere praised the organisation for advancing sustainable land management, agroecology, and climate resilience. Kawejere noted that these community-level efforts align closely with national environmental and climate change policies.