May
08
2017

Round-table meeting with Head of Christian Aid Malawi

On the 8th May 2017, the Scotland Malawi Partnership was delighted to host a round-table meeting with members, looking at sustainable energy and sustainable markets in Malawi. The meeting was scheduled around a visit to Scotland by Pansi Katenga, the Country Manager of Christian Aid Malawi.

On the 8th May 2017, the Scotland Malawi Partnership was delighted to host a round-table meeting with members, looking at sustainable energy and sustainable markets in Malawi. The meeting was scheduled around a visit to Scotland by Pansi Katenga, the Country Manager of Christian Aid Malawi (pictured).

The meeting provided a platform for Pansi Katenga to brief members on Christian Aid Malawi’s work and to engage Scottish organisations working with Malawi around sustainable energy and sustainable markets – two key priorities for Christian Aid Malawi in the coming years.

Attending the meeting were:

Alastair Evans, Sgurr Energy

Ankit Agarwal, LTS International

Aran Eales, Strathclyde University

David Hope-Jones, Scotland Malawi Partnership

Gillian Wilson, Community Energy Scotland

Jake Wilson, Scotland Lights up Malawi

John Riches, Just Trading Scotland

Pansi Katenha, Christian Aid Malawi

Sally Foster-Fulton, Christian Aid

Shannon Anderson, Imani Development

Tim Raub, University of St Andrews

Discussions:

  • Renewable energy: The meeting identified the range of different Scotland-Malawi projects currently engaged in renewable energy projects. There is considerable expertise in this area and much scope for continued sharing of learning with an eye to increased collaboration. Pansi Katenga noted that Christian Aid Malawi hopes to bring stakeholders together in Malawi for a conference in September.
  • Renewable markets: The meeting shared members’ work in this area. One priority area identified was the role of farmers associations and co-operatives in supporting small-holder farmers to work together. There seems to be increasing pressure from government, parliament and donors for investments in larger-scale farming. SMP members’ experience was that farmer associations and co-operatives played a crucial role in Malawi, allowing consolidated production at scale, and ensuring economic benefits are felt at the community level. There seem to be a number of challenges but also opportunities for these associations and cooperatives. Members were keen to share more widely their experience, in outlining the positive role these groups play in Malawi.

Outcomes:

1) This webpage created to share information on the meeting and coordinate actions.

2) Members working in renewable energy and renewable markets to email the SMP details of their partners in Malawi. These will then be passed to our sister network in Malawi, the Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP), but also toPansi Katenga, so she can engage our partners as she prepares for the September 2017 conference in Malawi bringing together organisations working in renewables.

3) Members to email the SMP links to key policies, research and other documents that were mentioned during discussions. The SMP will then upload all to this page.

4) SMP to organise Malawi Cross Party Group meeting in the Scottish Parliament on Wed 13th Sept 2017, 6-8pm looking specifically at renewable energy. Click here for details of meeting. The University of St Andrews has already been invited to present at this meeting on their geothermal research. It was decided we would open this meeting out to look at all Scotland-Malawi renewable energy activities. All organisations involved in renewable energy to email the SMP to express an interest in having a speaking slot at this 13th Sept Parliamentary meeting. This CPG meeting will then help generate momentum for Christian Aid Malawi’s conference in Malawi on the same theme the following week.

5) The SMP will collate a Discussion Paper looking at the role of associations and co-operatives in Malawi, in the context of pressure to scale-up production. Members should email the SMP 500-1000 words about their experience in Malawi on this topic, making clear points informed by their experience about how best to support and coordinate these associations and co-operatives in the future, following the SMP’s partnership principles. Deadline for submissions is 09.00 29th May. We will then draft the Discussion Paper and circulate to partners and funders.

6) Members encouraged to update their member profile with details of their work in Malawi to support continued coordination of effort. You can upload photos, videos, data, documents, resources, maps, etc about your Malawi work. Having an up to date profile page is the best way of coordinating with others and sharing info about your activities.

Pansi CA