Deforestation in Malawi Africa

DEFORESTATION IN MALAWI, AFRICA

Deforestation in Malawi, Africa, is a major problem, and 30% of the forests have disappeared in the last 10 years. RIPPLE Africa is helping communities to plant trees and, at the same time, is trying to make them aware of the value of protecting the few forests that remain.

Deforestation in Malawi, Africa: One farmer cut down and burnt all of these trees in just three months

Deforestation is happening very quickly on a frightening scale, and there is tremendous pressure on the natural resources because of the burgeoning population. Dreadful scenes of deforestation can be seen in the forested hills of Nkhata Bay District in the Northern Region of Malawi. These are some of the only forests left in Malawi, and farmers are indiscriminately cutting down trees and setting fire to them where they fall. In one area, a farmer had cleared an area of virgin forest of between five and 10 acres singlehandedly and had set fire to everything. He had achieved this feat in just three months. When asked why he had caused this extensive deforestation, the farmer explained that he had a family of 11 children and his existing crops were failing because the soil was exhausted. He went on to say that he had more forest left and planned to cut this down in the future.


Before deforestation — how the forest was!	After deforestation — destruction like this is happening incredibly quickly	This farmer cleared and burnt between five and 10 acres of forest in just three months

In 1994, authority for much of rural Malawi was decentralised by the government and devolved to the local chiefs with the result that the farmers are able to do what they like. The beautiful forests of Nkhata Bay District are being deforested at an alarming rate, and farmers will struggle to grow their crops once the top soil has washed away from the steep slopes. This will inevitably happen very rapidly once deforestation has taken place and the land cleared.

It is one thing to grow new trees, but we are really keen to work with the communities to try to save the existing ones and to slow down the rate of deforestation in the area. To this end, we assembled a group of chiefs, Forestry Department staff and other interested parties, and we took them to see the extensive deforestation for themselves. They were horrified and realise that something has got to be done. We are currently working on a simple set of bylaws for all chiefs to use in Nkhata Bay District to slow down the rate of deforestation. These bylaws will control which trees can be cut down and which areas need to be preserved. It will be a huge task but one worth pursuing if the trees of Nkhata Bay are to remain for future generations.


Deforestation just starting —- next year there will be far fewer trees	A fact-finding meeting with local chiefs, Forestry Department staff and other interested parties to find a solution to this problem which is devastating their environment	Bush fires burn fruit trees, destroying the fruit

In conjunction with the bylaws, we are also offering advice on improved agriculture. However, as we’ve already experienced with previous agricultural projects, there are always many obstacles — whether it’s too much or not enough rain, or pests and insects destroying crops — but it is essential that solutions are found so that communities can grow crops on the same land rather than continually expanding into the forests and causing even more deforestation.

The Malawian communities in our area grow only cassava all year round and some maize during the rainy season, and they quickly exhaust the soil. We are encouraging farmers to make compost rather than burning and to intercrop with potential cash crops like groundnuts and beans which will not only produce additional income but will put nitrogen back into the soil. We are very keen to develop this area of activity over the next few years and, with the help of David Newman, an experienced horticulturist from the UK, Fumbani, our agriculture expert, and Ruben, who is in charge of local vegetable projects, work is already starting in this area.


A groundnut shoot	We encourage intercropping with groundnuts to improve the soil	David Newman and Ruben want to develop a local vegetable project	Ruben composting the old reeds rather than burning them!

Deforestation in the Southern Region of Malawi, Africa
Deforestation is a major problem throughout Malawi but, fortunately, Nkhata Bay District still has lots of forest areas. In the Southern and Central Regions of the country, however, nearly all areas have been deforested, and in most places there are no large trees as far as the eye can see. In an area called Chikwawa, which suffers from particularly bad deforestation, there is devastating soil erosion, and it was suggested that a trip should be organised to take all of the Senior Chiefs in Nkhata Bay District to visit Chikwawa. In 2007, a trip was organised by Force, our Environmental Projects Manager, and the Chiefs were horrified to see the extent of the deforestation which is happening in their own country. This trip made a lasting impression on the Chiefs, and they are keen to prevent the same thing happening in their area. RIPPLE Africa has funded meetings with the Senior Chiefs and some of their 400 village headmen to promote our environmental awareness programme.


The Senior Chiefs learning about deforestation and how it is affecting the communities at Chikwawa	One of the heavily deforested and eroded hills at Chikwawa	If individuals do not grow their own trees, they will have no wood in the future for cooking, etc.

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