Environmental policy and administrative management

There is severe forest and land degradation taking place in fragile riverbanks in Zomba district.Likangala river is one of the rivers in the district which has been severed degraded despite the fact that it is one of the most important inlet rivers for Lake Chilwa.The degradation is due to deforestation and cultivation of gardens up to the edge of the riverbanks.The result has been widespread environmental degradation characterised by loss of vegetation cover,severe soil erosion,siltation of the river and Lake Chilwa,reduced volumes of of water in the river,loss of unique species of biodiversity,acute shortage of forest essentials products,reduced fish stocks in the lake and low agricultural production.The main drivers of land and forest degradation are poverty,food insecurity,high illeterancy evels and unreliable supply of energy. Project specific objectives: -To enhance participatory rehabilitation and reforestation of the degraded riverbanks of Likangala river - To increase environmental education,training,communication and awareness among local communities on the importance of natural resource management and environmental protection. - To promote local capacity building in environmental and natural resource management along the river catchment - To promote potential and marketable income generating activities based on agro-forest products.

Malawi