By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, March 22, Mana: Government has admitted that primary driver of deforestation and forest degradation was the ever-increasing demand for illegal and unsustainably produced charcoal.

Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr Michael Usi made the admission Tuesday in Lilongwe during commemoration of International Day of Forests (IDF) and official inauguration of the National Forest and Landscape Restoration Monitoring Unit (NMU).

He said urban areas are places where demand for illegal charcoal was high. 

“This appetite for illegal charcoal in our urban areas is causing havoc in our forests.  If not addressed strategically, most of our remaining natural forests will disappear before next generation,” Usi said.

The Minister said it was saddening to note that between 2011 and 2018, the percentage of urban households using charcoal as their primary source of cooking and heating fuel increased from around 44 percent to more than 76 percent. 

He added that what was more worrying was that nearly all the charcoal that was now flowing to our urban areas for sale and consumption by households was produced illegally and unsustainably in our remaining natural forests, protected forest reserves. 

He said the result of this urban demand for and consumption of illegal charcoal was the total plunder of our forests, natural heritage and natural capital with catastrophic consequences on both rural and urban communities. 

The Minister said the NMU was established in 2021 with support from the USAID and UKaid, through the Modern Cooking for Healthy Forests (MCHF) Project. 

He said it was important to note that these are the same two donors who supported Government to conduct the National Assessment of Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunities, which informed our National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy. 

“So the support to the NMU reflects a continuation of their support to improve the planning, management and monitoring of our forestry sector and this continued support is very much appreciated,” Usi pointed out.

He said NMU was established to develop, institutionalize and implement data collection tools, technologies, management systems, to inform forest planning, management and monitoring.

The Minister thanked United States and United Kingdom governments for the timely gift of NMU and their continued support to build capacity for improved forest planning, management and monitoring.

Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Director, Olympia Wereko Brobby said UK government was committed to supporting government of management in its forest management.

She said proper forest management would help the country to overcome climate effects which have been experienced globally.    

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Mission Director, Anna Toness said this was an important milestone for Malawi to install high tech equipment in the NMU to assist to monitor tree and forest cover.

She said the information obtained would be used to improve management and support in the restoration of degraded forests and landscapes.

The equipment that has been installed in the NMU is worth K 67 million.

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