By Pemphero Malimba:
National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) has said Malawi is expected to benefit highly from the rise in Lake Malawi water levels.
NWRA spokesperson Masozi Kasambala told The Daily Times that the level of water has risen to 494.97 above sea level, describing it as the highest increase in 12 years.
According to the authority, it recorded a 52 centimetre increase as at January 3 2024, attributing the development to proper management of Lake Malawi and the Shire River.
“This implies that we, as a country, will have enough water for purposes such as agriculture, fishing, hydro-power [generation], navigation and tourism.
“We, as an authority, will continue to effectively and efficiently manage Lake Malawi and the Shire River hydrological system so that we can maintain the water levels,” Kasambala said.
He urged people and firms to refrain from conducting construction activities in Lake Malawi areas that are below 477 metres above sea level.
“People are not supposed to be conducting construction activities along the lake without authorisation from the authority. Doing so would also help in disaster prevention efforts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Network on Climate Change National Coordinator Julius Ng’oma has urged government to take advantage of the situation to promote irrigation farming.
“Considering El Niño conditions in the Central and Southern regions, ministries of Agriculture, Water and Sanitation should introduce programmes that will ensure that people who reside in lakeshore areas are involved in irrigation farming.
“That way, Malawi will meet its food security goals,” Ng’oma said.
During the 2022-23 hydrological year, water levels in Lake Malawi were at 474.42 metres above sea level.
This was recorded on December 31 2022.