Related policies:

- Forestry Policy
- Water Resources Policy
- Land use utilization and catchment protection
- Rehabilitation and reclamation of degraded lands

The Government has established the Presidential Land Commission to look into matters related to land tenure as it affects rural and urban communities, the large estate sector, and finally at linkages and synergies of land matters in relation to the promotion of initiatives for sustainable development, taking into account the social, economic and sustainable environmental management in the country.

The 5th country programme was redirected towards natural resources management. Modules were funded by FAO, UNDP and the Government of Malawi, including:
- learning by earning,
- a tree for every child,
- energy efficient stoves,
- food for work (reforestation funded by WFP).

Promotion of community forestry management is an important component of the strategy to combat degradation of natural woodland by those who rely on fuelwood for energy. Education and training are now being used to sensitize people on afforestation.

A Malawi Forestry Policy has been carried out, and the Forestry Act is now under review. Malawi has signed and ratified the Convention to Combat Desertification in June 1996, making it a priority to combat desertification and drought in the country.

Way Forward:

Linking the Forestry Policy with national water and energy policies and other sectoral policies and initiatives.

Promotion of tree planting and agro-forestry under the co-management policy.

Other attempts - production of softwood charcoal from Chikangawa and Mulanje. This met with mixed success.

Enforcement of policies and strategies through local community participation and decision-making is what all line agencies and stakeholders plan to do at premise.

Other interventions:

- Rural electrification programme under the Ministry of Energy and Mining as a social service.
- Use of biogas technology being promoted by the Malawi Industrial Research Technology and Development Centre.
- Use of maiabo-stoves for energy efficiency promoted by the Malawi Industrial Research Technology and Development Centre.
- Under the energy programme of UNDP, Malawi has developed and submitted a project proposal under the National
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Programme to GEF, which aims at enhancing the sustainable use of and access to

energy in the country, focusing on renewables through the establishment of a Council, a Technical Committee, a

Knowledge Centre and an Energy Secretariat. Leveraged additional resources towards the implementation of the

components of the project include the World Bank, Danida, the Commonwealth Secretariat, NORAD, UNITAR,

UNESCO, UNICEF, SADC/FINESSE.

The International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Drought and/or Desertification

Particularly in Africa was signed in 1995 and ratified in 1996.

Additional comments relevant to this chapter

The Department of Forestry in the Ministry of Natural Resources is the chair of the National Desertification Steering Committee, while the Ministry of Research and Environmental Affairs is the secretariat. The National Committee is comprised of all relevant sectors both from government and the private sector whose activities contribute to desertification in one way or the other.

Related activities:
- Disaster Management Act of 1991
- Disaster Management Plan (Strategy), draft produced in 1991
- Small Scale Irrigation Draft Policy, 1996
- Establishment of a drought early warning system in 1991 with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation as the lead agency
- South African Development Countries Food Security Early Warning Unit under the Ministry of Agriculture and

Livestock Development
- Famine Early Warning System under agro-economic survey of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development

Malawi has yet to produce an umbrella project to combat desertification after ratifying the Desertification Convention in June, 1996. This will include finalization of the National Action Plan (NAP) which is being developed with UNDP.

NGOs got involved actively under the WFP for projects from 1993 to 1995.

Other strategies include water harvesting techniques and programmes by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock

Development.

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development has been mandated to look into ways and means to develop

programmes which aim at water harvesting during the rainy season. Development of irrigation schemes for small-

scale, medium and large-scale farmers is Government's priority number one utilizing the water bodies of Lakes

Malawi, Chilwa, Chiuta, Malombe and the Shire River water systems.

To implement the Convention, the following is planned to take place soon:
- a national workshop to formulate a strategy for awareness-raising.
- develop a National Action Plan (NAP) White Paper where strategies and actions including project ideas will be developed.
- create an institutional basis for planning and implementing the NAP and to build capacity within this basis.
- raise awareness of the relevant actors and affected groups at local community level, regional and national levels including all decision-makers in line agencies, NGOs, the private sector and other interested individuals and affected groups.
- Develop ways and means through the Environmental Management Act, the National Environmental Policy, the National Water Policy, the Forestry Act, the National Rural Development Plan to develop an integrated community forestry, rehabilitation and reclamation of river basins and catchment areas to reduce pressure on natural woodlands, revamp the water catchment areas and river basins respectively.

Park establishment for conservation of catchment areas of major rivers, which support hydro electric power production and irrigation.

Initiatives carried out since 1992 with GTZ support:
- Malawi-German Bee Keeping Project for placement of hives in the park for honey which is collected by local communities in the area.
- Improvement of transit infrastructure e.g. roads and housing and training of staff in tourism.

Conservation of Mount Mulanje with community involvement. Conservation of endangered species found in Mount Mulanje with assistance from the Overseas Development Agency. GEF has provided Malawi with US$ 300,000 to enable the establishment of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT).

Rehabilitation of deforested hills and mountains in rural and urban areas.

Management of the mid-Shire River aiming at reducing soil erosion within the catchment area.

Conservation framework for the land management of open areas.

The National Water Development Project aiming at sustainable management of water resources which mitigates environmental degradation through integrated management of mountain, forest and river ecosystems.

- mitigation of drought,
- liberation of micro agriculture, crops,
- rural based development projects; the Malawi Social Action Fund,
- liberation and marketing of agricultural inputs, e.g. fertilizers,
- establishment of a rural finance company for small scale business projects,
- strong increase in NGO activities in rural departments,
- introduction of small-scale irrigation schemes managed by communities,
- integrated approach in natural resources and environmental management by the Department of Parks and Wildlife and
the Wildlife Society of Malawi,

- promotion of drought tolerant crops,
- land resource conservation through agro-forestry, erosion control and afforestation and other conservation practices,
- job creation.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed in 1992 and ratified in 1994. A report will be submitted in January 1998.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was acceded to in 1982.

Additional comments relevant to this chapter

The National Parks and Wildlife Act was passed in 1992. It encourages community participation in the management of national parks. Communities also benefit from it.

Botanical gardens have been established in the cities.

A National Biological Diversity Committee was formed to oversee the work of other biodiversity sub-committees such as the Genetic Resources, Biosafety and Biotechnology Committee, and

the Lower Shire Wetlands Project (Zambezi Basin Wetland Conservation and Resource Utilisation Project) was set up.

Currently, Malawi is conducting the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) with financial support of GEF through UNEP. Eight components covering eight areas of biological resources and the associated literature and legal requirements are being investigated by local Malawi consultants with full consultation with UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Due to its active participation in the Convention negotiations before the Rio Summit, Malawi was the first chair of the Subsidiary Body on Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) in 1995/96. The SBSTTA chairmanship was handed over to Norway at the second SBSTTA meeting in Montreal, Canada in September 1996.

As a full party, Malawi has attended COP 1, 2 and 3 and has maintained its active role in CBD matters. A sub-committee has been put in place to deal with issues on clearing house mechanisms. Next step through the NBSAP is to conduct a national biodiversity awareness workshop in July, 1997, where the public and stakeholders will be informed and briefed on what the National Biodiversity Committee is doing as it prepares for the first National Report, due in January 1998. The issue of incentive measures and the full participation of women and local communities on issues of biological diversity including the integration of sectoral policies and legislation is what the country plans to put in place.

Malawi fully participates in CITES matters as a full member. However, public awareness on this convention has not been raised. The country needs to educate and inform the general Malawi public regarding the importance of this Convention and what it means to the common man in general.

As a RAMSAR member, efforts are also underway to let the general public know what this Convention means to the wetlands of the country. Lake Chilwa was designated as a RAMSAR site in 1996.

(a) increasing availability of food, feed and renewable raw materials,

(b) improving human health,

(c) enhancing the protection of the environment,

(d) enhancing safety and developing international mechanisms for cooperation,

(e) establishing enabling mechanisms for the development and the environmentally sound application of biotechnology.

Malawi has in place a National Biosafety and Biotechnology Committee chaired by the Biology Department of the University of Malawi. This committee is under the ambit of the National Biodiversity Committee and the National Research Council of Malawi.

Members of the National Committee are drawn from the government line agencies, the university, NGOs, the private sector, the Malawi Bureau of Standards and the Ministry of Research and Environmental Affairs.

The mandate of the Committee is to look at the 5 stipulations mentioned above, to look into the safe use and handling of genetically modified organisms, put into effect the UNEP Guidelines of Biosafety and the development, monitoring and evaluation of other biotechnology initiatives in the country including safe disposal of pharmaceutical wastes according to UNICEF standards and appropriate technology.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed in 1984.

Not applicable.

Areas receiving attention in policy and strategy formulation are (1) Integrated Water Resources Development and Management which will involve integrated catchment management thus developing water resources and managing water in harmony with other natural resources taking into account the interactions among water and social and economic development; (2) protection of water resources, water resources and aquatic resources; (3) drinking water supply and sanitation, (4) water and sustainable urban development; (5) water for sustainable food production and rural development and (6) impacts of climate change on water resources.

A large part of the Malawi population does not have access to an adequate supply with potable water and many do lack basic sanitation. Within the National Water Development Policy, it is the government's commitment to bring on board communities, water boards, local authorities, the private sector, NGOs and government line agencies in the areas of forestry, agriculture, national parks and local governments to address the issue of integrated management of water resources and drinking water supply and sanitation in the country with full community participation.

National Water Development Project for upgrading the management of water resources and provision of water related services to:
(a) ensure convenient access to safe water for domestic use for a progressively larger population of the community;
(b) provide water infrastructure capable of underpinning economic development;
(c) ensure the protection and management of water resources and aquatic and riparian environments which include:
- Seawatch for Lake Malawi which involves installation of equipment to collect and transmit data on various parameters of the lake,
- Lake Malawi level control,
- Flood forecasting of the Lower Shire River,
- Hydrogeological and hydrological assessment and mapping to provide information base.

The project is supported from UNICEF.

The National Parks and Wildlife Department aims at protecting natural resources within Lake Malawi. The department is also in charge for the management of wetlands.

A system of control of transport of chemicals is in place to ensure:
* improvement and enhancement of a system for the Safe Management of Chemicals
* improvement of the work on chemical dangers assessment
* coordination of classification, packaging and marketing of chemicals
* improvement of the work on measures to prevent illegal trade in toxic and hazardous chemicals
* exchange of relevant information regarding the safe management of chemicals

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was ratified in 1994.

Additional comments relevant to this chapter

Under the Basel Convention, Malawi has a grace period for implementation up to 1997, including carrying out an inventory on industries. This has led to identifying training centres for capacity building in the management of hazardous waste. These are:
- South Africa for English-speaking countries including Malawi,
- Cote d'Ivoire for French-speaking countries,
- Egypt for Arabic-speaking countries.

A needs assessment aimed at identifying training needs in hazardous waste management was done in September. Locally, city councils had discussions with the Ministry of Trade and Commerce in the management of waste from industries, including air, land and waste-borne effluents.

A monitoring system has been established to identify who, where and what is being dumped. A discussion forum has been established with representatives from industries, to sensitize them on environmental damage by hazardous waste.

A project is in the pipeline for recycling waste used by large industries in Blantyre City.

A good housekeeping project includes discussions held in partnership with MBS, MIRTDC, Polytechnic and industry managers.

The sewer system only covers 24% of the area (e.g. commercial areas, institutions); 76% is served with pit latrines and septic tanks.

The Blantyre City Sanitation Master Plan Study was conducted in 1992 as part of the local government development programme and covers four towns: Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu.

The Malawi Industrial Research Technology and Development Centre conducted an inventory for waste, i.e. what type is to be recycled and used and how to reduce waste generation.

In Mzuzu City, waste is being collected twice a week from households, commercial and industrial areas, and daily from public places, markets and hospitals. The equipment available includes two refuse trucks, one tractor trailer, one micro bin and one micro van.

In Zomba municipality, 47.3% of all refuse is collected. There is one vehicle available and the only landfill is already exhausted. A study for a new landfill has been carried out. Market and location committees on environmental issues were established. There is one tanker available for emptying septic tanks. Provision is being made for ventilated improved pit latrines in peri-urban areas, for maintenance of burst sewer lines, and for emptying septic tanks/VIP latrines.

Activities:

- Introduction of a cash budget system to control expenditures,
- Privatisation,
- Removal of sub-bodies on fertilizers and paraffin, structural adjustment programmes.

CHANGES IN NATIONAL BUDGET TO ADDRESS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:

A revenue sharing mechanism scheme has been introduced, enabling local communities to benefit from the income from protected areas.

NEW ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS:

- "Nature" - support was introduced for recurrent expenditure programmes.
- The land reform policy was financed by the World Bank, USAID and Overseas Development Agency.
- Establishment of the Malawi stock exchange.
- Introduction of a drought levy on salaries.
- Establishment of the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF).

ELIMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY UNFRIENDLY SUBSIDIES:

No information

The Malawi Industrial Research and Technology Development Centre (MIRTDC) is a member of the GEF. MIRTDC works together with the Malawi Bureau of Standards in conducting waste audits. MIRTDC has a data base for companies which have technology for transfer to other parties. There are links with Southern Africa on leadership for environment. There are also links with the SADC energy management project for industrial energy management.

MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION:

There is a National Steering Committee for the GEF and an Energy Technical Panel at the national level. It is intended to set up a Regional Energy Training Centre at the Natural Resources College.

Emphasis is being placed on research on the domestication of indigenous vegetables and fruits, on research on medicinal plants, and on the promotion of conservation efforts and sustainable agriculture by involving communities in a participatory approach.

A research policy was formulated for the University of Malawi.

Further activities:
- Programmes in order to sensitize teachers on environmental issues.
- An environmental awareness campaign has been carried out, including radio programmes, workshops, jingles, and other measures.

STEPS TAKEN TO ENHANCE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING, IMPROVE LONG TERM SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT, BUILDING OF CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY:

- Establishment of an e-mail-system at the University.
- Malawi is a member of the International Network for the Generation of Aquaculture (INGA).
- Establishment of a GIS at the University of Malawi.
- Summer camps have been held for 280 students for designing scientific research and projects.
- Science fairs have been held at district, regional and national levels.
- Environmental issues have been introduced in primary schools and are to be introduced for secondary school teachers.
- Curricula have been reviewed to strengthen scientific understanding.

The University of Malawi has so far been allocating 0.28% of its budget to research. There is now a policy guideline to strive for an allocation of 5% on the medium term.

The Malawi Institute of Education was mandated to develop curricula for the primary school level and for training of teachers at the primary education level. Consequently, environmental education in the formal education system was focused at these two levels. The institute is also mandated to develop the secondary education curriculum. The Malawi Institute of Education has also been given the mandate to coordinate environmental education activities in the formal education sector.

Malawi has developed a National Environmental Education and Communication Strategy with the main objective of creating environmental awareness in both the formal and non-formal sectors of the country.

a) Reorientation of education towards sustainable development

Efforts are being done to ensure coordination in environmental education for sustainable development.

b) Increasing public awareness

The Malawi Institute of Education organised a national workshop to sensitise key personnel in environmental education on the importance of sound environmental management and to assist policy makers. This initiative lead to the development of the National Environmental Education and Communication Strategy. Various line ministries, departments, NGOs, CBOs, parastatals, the private sector, and the University of Malawi have joined together to create awareness on environmental degradation in the country and to find ways and means to address the problems related to sustainability.

c) Promoting training

There has been no training in environmental education for curriculum developers, teacher trainers, teachers and education advisors due to lack of a coordinating body which would initiate training programmes. However, through the National Environmental Education and Communication Strategy, it is expected that training at various levels will be done and enhanced.

ROLE OF MAJOR GROUPS:

Some effort was made from donor agencies to coordinate environmental education activities between the Malawi Institute of Education and other stakeholders, e.g. Ministry of Education, University of Malawi, Domasi College of Education, Wildlife Society of Malawi and the Coordination Unit for Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE), when developing the National Environmental Education and Communication Strategy. It is expected that all the agencies will form a national team to address environmental education in the country.

FINANCING AND COST EVALUATION OF THE LABOUR ACTIVITIES:

No information.