Page 12 - WATER SECTOR MAGAZINE VOLUME 3

CREATING A MASS MOVEMENT ON

RAINWATER HARVESTING IN MALAWI

that can be used to supplement household water supplies have usually been forgotten and do
not appear to be adopted with same momentum as the other techniques. Some of the RWH
By MACPHERSON NTHARA that have wider applications in urban areas include above ground tanks (brick or plastic),
RAINWATER HARVESTING ASSOCIATION underground tanks, cisterns made from various materials and plastic lined small ponds.
OF MALAWI
This campaign aims at changing the mindset of individuals, institutions and communities from
Access to clean and potable water is one of the looking at rainwater as a nuisance and that has to be drained away to taking rainwater as an
biggest challenges facing most Malawian both opportunity for increased water supply and environmental sustainability. This campaign will
in rural and urban areas. This situation has been introduce various techniques for water storage around schools and other community buildings.
exacerbated by climate change impacts which Through various school projects, the project is expected to have a multiplier effect as the schools
have affected water resources both in quantity will be expected to implement similar water harvesting practices in surrounding communities.
and quality. Traditional sources of water are
no longer able to meet the needs of people. Some of the activities to be implemented as part of this campaign will include conducting
The decreasing water sources and increasing training workshops and field visit for members of the media (journalists), conducting campaign
energy crises has raised the need to identify meetings, holding talks and giving lectures in schools on RWH. The association will also
alternative sources of water for both domestic promote the production and distribution of IEC Materials.
and agricultural usage. Rainwater harvesting
(RWH) is one such technology that has recently In order to build capacity on rainwater harvesting, a number of training sessions will be
received increased attention worldwide as an conducted targeting the participating students and teachers. The trainings will also target
alternative source of potable and non-potable extension workers and staff from other partner organizations. The association will lobby for
water supplies. the inclusion of rainwater harvesting in current policies by engaging policy makers especially
parliamentarians in a number of activities including press briefings and field visits.
The technology involves collecting and storing
rainwater from rooftops, the land surfaces, steep About the Association
slopes, road surfaces or rock catchments using The Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi (RHAM) was launched in 2003 in Lilongwe,
simple techniques such as clay pots, drums, as a development partner toward integrated water resources management initiative of the
buckets, as well as more complex techniques Government of Malawi (GoM) and other stakeholders. It comprises a number of individuals
such as water tanks, ponds and earth dams. and institutions that are involved and take interest in rainwater harvesting activities throughout
It is therefore sad that in Malawi, rainwater the country. The Association is also an integral network member of the Southern and Eastern
harvesting has not received the attention it Africa Rainwater Harvesting Network (SearNet). The association has a constitution and is run
deserves as a solution to water shortages and by the executive committee through its secretariat.
floods that we have witnessed recently.
The Rainwater Harvesting Association of
Malawi therefore plans a massive campaign to
promote the harvesting and management of
rainwater throughout the country using various
channels. The association will partner with a
number of institutions, CSOs, religious groups,
Government NGOs, the media in the creation of
a mass movement that will see water harvesting
being embraced at all levels.

The initiative aims at building up a mass
movement of individuals, government
departments, NGOs, CBOs and FBOs in support
of rainwater harvesting and management. This
mass movement will comprehensively support
government agenda of poverty alleviation and
economic growth.

Rainwater harvesting has been advocated in
Malawi for the past 10 years by various NGOs
and government projects. In spite of the obvious
benefits, RWH practices have not been widely
adopted to augment water supply in urban areas.
Much attention has gone to the promotion of in
situ techniques like conservation agriculture,
manure making and application and Vetiver
planting. The often extensive RWH practices 30 Cubic Meter Ferro Cement Tank for Rainwater Harvesting
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