Policies have been put in place to reduce deforestation in Malawi with strategies, programmes, projects and academic courses addressing the issue. While most of these have not criticised for not including local communities in administration and utilisation of forest products, decentralisation was regarded the best option to reduce the problem.

However, data from the Malawi Environmental Profile reveals that between 1990 and 2005, 13% of total forest cover was lost through fuel wood and agriculture.  35% of this loss occured between 2000 and 2005.  Forests which covers 12% of land in Malawi have an annual deforestation rate of -3%. The unfortunate part of this is that residents depend on primary forests with plantations covering only 204,000 ha (6% of total forest area).

The solution to reducing deforestation is held in the hands of those on the front line of forest destruction.  The decentralisation frame has not provided the correct tools and equipment to these people to halt deforestation. Programs targeting locals on the ground appear to be intentionally blocked at the institutional level through fund diversions, meetings, workshops and in some cases private reasons.

In the northern and southern regions where deforestation is high such as Mwanza, the problem is the lack of alternative livelihoods for poor communities coupled with climatic factors.

Reaching the people with decentralisation messages, through radio, or extension officers on yellow bicycles do not prevent communities from cutting down trees. This means that programs that aim to conserve the environment can not achieve their objectives if economic policies are weak and communities are not empowered with the ability to generate enough cash for their livelihoods.

Decentralisation programs should encourage communities to pursue sustainable livelihoods such as bee keeping and rabbitry. The best example of empowering communities through decentralisation is that of community health surveillance assistants, who have been empowered to assist in home child delivery and health messages without the need for 4 wheel drive vehicles going into villages.

The example set by the Malawi Red Cross can be used to train everyone to halt deforestation. As such decentralisation programs to reduce deforestation should empower the local man and woman with business skills so ensure that they understand that cutting trees will suffocate them in the end.

The issues presented by deforestation are many and complex.  Enforcement, community based natural resource management, afforestation of natural forest or degree programmes at universities need to be integrated with other remedies in the decision making process.

Decentralisation in the Forest Department should be just part of the larger and integrated solution as other sectors such as with health, education, agriculture and food security.  THE END.