Malawi has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Nkhata Bay North is no exception with over 20% lost in the last 20 years. 58% of community members live below the national poverty line, which makes people resort to tree cutting to sell firewood or charcoal, or to clear more land for planting crops. This creates a negatively reinforcing cycle, whereby communities depend on their local natural resources for survival, but poverty forces them to use the resources unsustainably.

There is urgent need to halt and reverse the high rate of deforestation in Nkhata Bay. However, tree planting will only work if the drivers of deforestation are addressed simultaneously. With Temwa’s long experience of successful community-driven agriculture and forestry work in this region, we will deliver a project focused on reforestation that will be complemented by strengthening of local governance and the creation of alternative livelihoods where communities will see the value of forests.