Environmental policy and administrative management

Neno is a landlocked district with a population of 80,000 people disproportionately affected by poverty,increasing their vulnerability to climatic,economic and health shocks.They depend predominantly on subsistence agriculture.The people of Neno depend on subsistence farming for their livelihood.The environment and natural resources provide the basis for their sustainable economic development.However, there is an alarmimg degradation of the environment causing significant loss of soil fertility,soil erosion,serious deforestation,water depletion and loss of biodiversity as a result of curio business,firewood collection and charcoal production. There has also been an increase in the wanton cutting of trees due to a number of people that have recently settled in the area trading in charcoal.Results of the community consultations conducted in the area showed that degradation of natural resources is caused by several factors among which are erosive income generating activities like charcoal production,firewood collection,curio production and lime production.Other causes of land degradation are poor farming practices,lack of soil and water conservation practices and intensive mono-cropping.Bush fires and unorganised livestock grazing also have impacts on land degradation. A decrease in total maize production in the Lisungwi area over the past decade has created severe economic hardships in many parts of the area,people need to exploit natural resources to generate income. Main Objective The overlall objective of the project is to promote greater involvement of the youth and children in restoration and maintainance of the ecosystems through planting of a variety of trees in rid areas and advocancy on prudent and sustainable utilization of natural resources.

Malawi