National Forest Policy 2016.

This National Forest Policy is the second nationwide sectoral document developed by the Government of Malawi with the aim of providing guidance to the management of forests, offering an enabling framework for all stakeholders to participate in the management of forests, and sustaining the contribution of the national forest resources for the improvement of the quality of life. The goal of the Policy is the conservation, establishment, protection and management of trees and forests for the sustainable development of Malawi through (1) improvement of provisions of forest goods and services; (2) control deforestation and forest degradation; (3) promoting strategies that will contribute to increased forest cover by 2% by 2021; and (4) developing a sustainable management of existing forest resources. Specific objectives of the document are (i) provide an enabling framework for promoting the participation of local communities, the civil society and the private sector in forest conservation and management; (ii) promote the establishment of forest based small and medium scale industries; (iii) promote the growing of trees in order to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency of wood and forest derived products and services; (iv) protection of the environment, conservation of biodiversity and climate change management through the forest management; (v) promote short, medium and long term financing mechanisms for the forestry sector and its contribution to GDP; (vi) development of requisite human resource commensurate with the implementation of the policy; (vii) sustainable management and utilization of forest resources based on research findings and recommendations; (viii) clearly defined forest standards and guidelines; and (ix) enhance cooperation in forestry related issues at national, regional and international levels. The Policy focuses on ten priority areas, namely 1. Community Based Forest Management; 2. Indigenous Forests, Forest Reserves, and Ecosystem Management; 3. Forest Plantations and Estates Management; 4. Forestry Regulation and Quality Control; 5. Forestry Knowledge Acquisition and Management; 6. Capacity Development for Forestry Sector; 7. Biomass Energy Development; 8. Development of Forest Based Industries; 9. Regional and International Cooperation; and 10. Financing Mechanisms. The Policy includes an Implementation Plan for the years 2015 - 2020.
To make forestry more productive and sustainable, the document aims at (i) sustainable management of forest resources for long-term conservation of forest biodiversity, protection of water catchments, control of soil erosion, provision of forest products, and eco-tourism development; (ii) sustainable production and utilization of firewood and charcoal; (iii) an increased forest cover and reduction of carbon loss through appropriate incentives for sustainable management like Payment for ecosystems management in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs); and (iv) promotion of the forest genetic resources conservation and researches on improved seed, germplasm, pests and diseases and fire management.
In order to enable more inclusive and efficient system, the Government ensures (i) that local communities are provided with appropriate incentives to manage forest resources based on clear mechanisms of ownership and control and are empowered to effectively lead and participate in forest conservation and management; (ii) a sustainable development of primary and secondary forest industries with a view to achieving self-sufficiency and generate exports; (iii) endogenously well designed, relevant and demand driven research programs, in collaboration with local populations; (iv) an enabling environment for access to all government controlled forest reserves and plantations by small-scale enterprises and processors using forest products; (v) multiple uses of forests through market intensification of forest products nationally and internationally; (vi) community and individuals’ participation and involvement in tree seed collection, marketing of tree seedlings and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs); and (vii) enabled certification of products for international trade requirements.
To enhance the resilience of livelihoods to disasters main actions are focused on promoting and maintaining the resilience of ecosystem functions to climate change and biodiversity loss together with the reforestation as a tool to manage the climate change.
As for the Governance, the Ministry responsible for forestry will lead and coordinate the implementation of the policy which requires an effective monitoring and evaluation system with appropriate and efficient feedback mechanism. To establish internal self-monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, an institutionalized framework will be developed and adopted at all stages of planning and programming. The Policy will be reviewed based on a five-year cycle.