<p><span>Towards Public Perception and Participation in Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Malawi, Zomba District</span></p>

This study examined public perception and participation in climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Zomba District, Malawi, using a mixedmethods approach involving household surveys (n = 120), focus group discussions (n = 4), key informant interviews (n = 16), and field observations. The study assessed community awareness, participation levels, and the integration of indigenous knowledge into CCA and DRR initiatives. Findings revealed that although 75% of respondents had heard about climate change and 70% considered it a serious threat to their communities, only 60% associated climate change with human activities and climate-related disasters. While 70% recognized the importance of indigenous knowledge for adaptation and disaster preparedness, only 35% believed that organizations incorporated such knowledge into planning processes, and 70% had never shared their local knowledge with program implementers. Community participation was similarly constrained: although 65% had participated in at least one CCA or DRR activity during the previous 12 months, only 30% reported high or very high levels of participation. Major barriers included inadequate information (40%), financial constraints (35%), livelihood pressures (30%), and limited trust in institutions (20%). Inferential analysis using chi-square tests showed that education, age, and household size were significantly associated with public perception, while education, age, and occupation were significantly associated with public participation. Ordinal logistic regression further revealed that public perception was the strongest predictor of participation (β = 0.87, OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.58-3.61, p < .001), followed by education (β = 0.72, OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.39-3.03, p < .001), occupation (β = 0.44, OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.07-2.25, p = .021), and age (β = 0.34, OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.07-1.84, p = .015). Gender and household size were not significant predictors of participation. The study concludes that CCA and DRR initiatives are constrained by shallow awareness, inadequate integration of indigenous knowledge, and limited participatory approaches. It recommends strengthening community-level policy implementation, promoting inclusive governance, integrating indigenous knowledge into formal programs, and investing in long-term climate education to enhance meaningful participation and community resilience.