Ms. Maness Nkhata

Nationality: Malawi

Institution: Lakeshore Agro-Prosessors Enterprise

Bio:

Maness Nkhata grew up in Malawi and she holds a Masters in International Business and Economics and Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Malawi. She is an entrepreneur, mentor, Youth Community Climate Ambassador, Global Youth Ambassador and a job creator. She is now the Managing Director of Lakeshore Agro-Processors Enterprise (LAPE) and Kakoma estate where she has been implementing several projects and managing projects for more than 8 years. Because of her achievements in farming and agro-processing, she became first ever Board Chairperson for National Youth Council of Malawi at the age of below 30. She has experience working with development partners such as USAID, IFAD, USDA, NORAD, the public sector, the private sector as well as multi stakeholder set-up. Maness Nkhata is also a Global Youth Ambassador for United Nations and the Southern African Confederation of Agriculture unions (SACAU). She is an expert on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

Relevant skills on climate change adaptation:

Scoping and designing climate change Adaption strategies for the African Sub Saharan Region for the Youth and Women. This is done in collaboration with high level officials in both Governments and the Private Sector. The projects designed includes the reforestation of both major infrastructures like major river banks to avoid soil erosion, reforestation of mountains that forms the catchment areas of the major rivers and lakes. Engaging and training of women and youth in designing and providing financing of nurseries which enables them to sell the seedlings to organizations championing climate change strategies in the African sub Saharan Region. Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of these initiatives and how this affects the daily livelihoods of the people. Discouraging the use of Traditional cutting down of trees and burning them for charcoal as a means of Energy sources, and instead finding alternative means of Energy sources by introduction of low cooking mbaula. Embedding gender in all climate change strategies for ease of adaptation strategies, this is driven by the fact that women and the youth are the core backbone in climate change programs. Partnering with Universities in Africa for the sole purpose of tapping knowledge and knowledge transfer to the communities about R&D ( Research and Development) in Climate Change Adaption. My Organization is the key champion of climate change and being at the helm of it as Managing Director and also being President of Farmers Union of Malawi, I take a bird's view in ensuring that all programs designined to mitigate climate change risks are fully adhered to. We engage Climate Change auditors and environmental specialists who periodically monitor and analyze all capacity gaps in the fight against climate change. As part of the greening our environment, we champion the use of cement bricks for construction of all architectural building Infrastructures and we have seen great progress where industrial sites have moved from traditional burnt bricks. Lobbying for women’s land rights to enable women acquire land because women are the key player in the fight against climate change due to the nature of their role in an African family setting.