Mbeya District Council has pledged to sustain and expand environmental conservation efforts in the Songwe River Basin, saying protecting the ecosystem is critical to the livelihoods of communities living around the basin.
The council has also directed experts from relevant sectors to conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the project and submit quarterly progress reports to ensure its achievements are sustained.
The council's chairperson, Ms Aida Haule, who is also the Utengule Usongwe Ward councillor, made the remarks on September 3, 2026, during a ceremony to receive the environmental conservation project implemented in the Songwe River Basin.
The project was carried out under the Tanzania-Malawi Joint Commission responsible for the conservation and development of the Songwe River Basin, whose waters eventually flow into Lake Nyasa.
Presenting the council's report to officials from the Ministry of Water, Mbeya District Council agriculture officer Aidan Mlawa said the project was implemented in Isangati Division, specifically in Izyra and Iwiji wards.The initiative covered four villages— Izyra, Isende, Masewe and Izumbwe II.
Mr Mlawa said the project was designed to strengthen the economic capacity of communities living and undertaking social and economic activities around water sources and tributaries that feed the Songwe River.
He said the initiative also sought to promote alternative sources of income, reducing communities' reliance on activities that contribute to environmental degradation around water sources and riverbanks.
Assistant Director of Water Resources in the Participatory Water Management Section at the Ministry of Water, Ms Florence Mahay, said the project had supported various alternative livelihood activities, including dairy farming.
She said 40 dairy cattle had been distributed to nine livestock-keeping groups in Masewe, Izyra, Isende and Izumbwe II villages.
Songwe River Basin Projects Coordinator at the Ministry of Water, Ms Mwanamkuu Mwanyika, said the project began with capacity-building for experts from sectors involved in its implementation.
These included environment, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry and community development.
Ms Mwanyika said bringing together experts from different sectors had helped ensure that conservation efforts were implemented through an integrated approach while addressing the economic needs of communities dependent on the basin.
The Songwe River Basin is a shared resource between Tanzania and Malawi, making cross-border cooperation important for its sustainable management and the protection of communities that depend on its water resources.