Bio-diversity

Located just a stone throw away in between Vwaza Marsh Wild Reserve and Nyika National Park in Rumphi district with a densely resource poor population relying on forest and natural based resources for their livelihoods from the two protected areas. Agriculture has been hampered by poor soil fertility and socio-economic factors resulting into increased dependency on forest based resources. The impact of these factors has been recurring food insecurity for more households. When their capacity is overstretched they resort to irrepressible coping mechanisms such as wanton cutting down of trees for agricultural expansion, charcoal production, firewood selling and poaching thereby threatening biodiversity conservation inside and outside the two protected areas. Objectives: -To enhance participatory biodiversity conservation of Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve and Nyika National Park -To enhance awareness of economical value of wildlife resources and environment through environmental education strategies and capacity building initiatives. -Provide support to small-scale entrepreneurs to access good markets for their non forest produce and products -To provide modern agriculture practices that enhance improved crop production

Malawi