When Cyclone Freddy tore through Malawi’s Southern Region in 2023, it left behind more than broken bridges, ripped roads and shattered homes. The disaster left Malawi as one of the countries hardest hit by climate change as funds meant to help communities prepare, adapt and recover remain slow, scanty and often out of reach. Global pledges to support least developed countries (LDCs) respond to climate-induced emergencies have become a lifeline for the nation frequently haunted by erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and flooding.
As disasters become more frequent and severe, the country urgently requires resources to protect farmers, rebuild ecosystems and strengthen community resilience. Yet for many actors working on the frontline, accessing the money pledged during global gatherings remains a daily struggle. Drying aid taps affect civil society organisations, youth movements, women’s groups and community-based initiatives that drive climate action, including climate-smart agriculture, landscape restoration, riverbank protection, disaster preparedness and sustainable livelihoods.
Financial uncertainties leave these initiatives shrinking and fragile. Women Network on Climate Action in Malawi (Wonecam) communications manager Taonga Kayira says limited and inconsistent financing continues to undermine the impact of local organisations. “We have ideas, community trust and solutions, but what we do not have is consistent financial support to expand our work,” she states.
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Developed countries, which contribute a lion’s share of the gasses that fuel global warming, have pledged billions of dollars to help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change and greenhouse emissions. Malawi has received some of this funding through projects supported by the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility and United Nations agencies. However, local organisations say the funds rarely reach them directly.
They bemoan that climate finance remains concentrated at national or international levels, managed by large, multinational institutions with complex systems. The local actors on the receiving end of the pledged climate funds laments lengthy approval processes that exclude smaller grassroots groups, especially community-based organisations and local non-governmental organisations.
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