Reversing the lost nature

The year 1990 will always remain the worst for 55-year-old Loveness Kateleka from Group Village Head (GVH) Mdala in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kuntaja in Blantyre District. It was a year she experienced the worst firewood scarcity.

Before 1990, the area had few trees or shrubs from where women could fetch firewood. Most of the indigenous and exotic trees were cut for charcoal ussually sold to Blantyre City residents.

Burning of bricks by communities also compounded the situation.

Ever since Kateleka got married, she lived a life of bullying at the hands of her husband. Why bullying? Because of delays to prepare food or heat water for a bath.

Her story is synonymous with the other two wives, her husband married after her.

A visit to the area confirmed that communities having no trees to depend on for firewood or timber.

“I recall that I would travel a distance of close to three hours just to look for firewood. By the time I reach home, I got tired, something that did not impress the family members,” says Kateleka.

With three children, Kateleka adds: “We could go on empty stomach not by wish. Even efforts to buy charcoal were limited due to financial problems. Those with money could afford to buy charcoal in the city, but not me.”

Kateleka’s represents those women who struggle to collect firewood as a source of energy.

The problem of firewood has come due to deforestation. Environmental experts further blame the plight of women on high electricity tariffs or call it energy crisis.

Ripple Africa shows that deforestation in Malawi and Africa as a whole is a major problem, saying 30 percent of the forests have disappeared in the last 10 years.

According to the organisation, deforestation is as a result of agricultural expansion, charcoal production and mining investment opportunities.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) outlook has since put into question strides by Malawi and other African countries towards environmental sustainability, saying evidence from several countries suggest a worrisome decline in areas covered by forests.

The reports coupled by the challenge communities in Blantyre Rural and other areas face have forced Chief Kuntaja to urge communities to plant more trees in their locations during this year’s National Planting Season.

Through this call, Kateleka has this year teamed up with others to champion the planting of trees in their localities.

“I have decided to plant more trees so that my children should not suffer effects of climate change anymore. I intend to plant more than 100 tree seedlings,” says Kateleka.

Kuntaja says if more trees are planted, firewood challenges would be history.

The chief says the area used to have more trees, but irresponsible people cut them for what he called ‘dirty business dealings’.

“We used to have more trees, but democracy has destroyed everything that we had. With climate change effects, rainfall pattern has also become problematic,” he says.

It is against this background of the climate change effects and problem of firewood that communities want to bring vegetative cover to the area.

“Our women should not be subjected to misery anymore come four years. They would in future use the same trees for businesses such as timber production,” says Kuntaja.

He further warns communities against the cutting down of trees unnecessarily.

“As a chief, I have advised my subjects to stop wanton cutting down of trees knowing fully the effects of climate change. It is either they pay a chicken or plant 10 trees as a penalty,” he said.

The Blantyre District Forestry Office salutes efforts the communities are making. To this effect, the office says, village forestry committees (VFC) are instrumental to having more trees planted.

“It is incumbent on us to ensure that we work together. In this case, our plan for this year alone as Blantyre office is to plant one million trees by April,” says Geoffrey Kanyerere, district forestry officer.

The initiative by communities is in tandem with the 2013 MDG Report launched during the African Union (AU) summit which shows that deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate due to encroachment and investment opportunities.

“Since 2001, deforestation is estimated at 3.9 percent (100 000 hectares annually). This therefore, calls for sustainable forestry policies,” says the report.

Malawi officials have since said government needs to plant about 125 million trees annually to replace the ones that have been cut.

Development Aid from People to People (Dapp)programmes manager Moses Chibwana says the organisation wants to plant one million trees in the aftermath of the tree planting exercise across the country.

Trees that Dapp wants to plant are expected to bring back soil fertility.

Within the aspect of ensuring that firewood is available, such efforts by government and various organisations are also aimed at achieving the MDG on Environmental Sustainability by 2015.

Arguably, this in line with Malawi’s National Environment Policy, the National Forestry Policy, the Forest Act and Environmental Management Act, whose aim is to provide care to forest at national and community level.