Working with UNICEF to enhance flood resilience in Malawi

The challenge: extensive flooding was impacting the community

In 2020, UNICEF reached out to Royal HaskoningDHV to help update an existing flood prediction system for the area in the north of Malawi.

The project involved a range of stakeholders, including Department of Water Resources, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Department of Disaster Management, The Red Cross, and the University of Malawi.

All of these stakeholders were working on behalf of the Department of Disaster Management and Water Resources and the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services.

The solution: an early warning system with real-time information

We initially conducted an assessment of Malawi’s existing systems, like the Operational Decision Support System implemented by the World Bank.

While carrying out this work, the need for a similar solution for the north of Malawi – an area often impacted by flash floods – became apparent, and we were tasked with overseeing this project.

We began by developing flood models for the region, but the goal was to have a fully functioning community- and impact-based early warning system.

Facing tight budgets, the options were limited. But involvement from the Red Cross meant that funding for their Early Action Protocols, along with funding from the Department for Water Application in the Netherlands, could support a solution based on the Red Cross’s own forecasting system.

We worked alongside the Red Cross to update this system – originally based on satellite modelling – with our own, more advanced data models. This provided more accurate flood maps, insight into the likely impacts of flooding, and a greater level of accuracy for flash flood predictions.

The result: long term protection against flooding

Through our collaboration with the Red Cross, we were able to deliver a platform that provides the timely insights needed to mitigate the impacts of both flash flooding and river overspills.

The solution is also far easier than most for the people of Malawi to use, with training completed in a single day.

The advanced warnings will help the local government protect assets and save lives for the foreseeable future. The platform will be fully operational by 2024.

Additionally, this project has shown the possibilities of our partnership with the Red Cross. We plan to continue our collaboration going forward, bringing new levels of safety and resilience to countries in all corners of the globe with warning systems best suited to each environment.