environmental challenges in malawi

Environmental Challenges for Malawi; What are the solutions?

Deepa PullanikkatilLEAD Southern and Eastern Africa

Chancellor College, Zombad_pullani@yahoo.com

Presented at University College London"GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY -Creating resilience in the face of

catastrophic climate change"Friday 8th February 2013

Denys Holland Lecture TheatreUCL Faculty of Laws, Bentham House, Endsleigh Street, WC1H 0EG

Inspiring Leadership for a Sustainable World

Malawi country profile

• Total population (2010): 15.7 million• Population trebled in past 40 years• Lake Malawi • Proportion of total population dependent on

agriculture for a livelihood: 85 percent• Proportion living below poverty datum line:

6.3 millionSource: Synthesized from ActionAID (2006), National Statistical Office (2010), UNEP (2010), Yaron et al. (2010), and FAO (2011).

Top 9 Environmental Challenges (Source: Various)

1. Human habitat degradation2. Soil and land resources degradation3. Forestry resource degradation4. Fisheries resource degradation5. Water resources degradation6. Biological Diversity7. Climate and air quality8. Environmental education and public awareness9. Industry, energy, mining and the environment

1. Human habitat degradation• Rapid urbanization- squatters, overcrowding, health

impacts

Ruralisation of

Urban Centers

• Use of burnt bricks for construction contributes to deforestation leading to biodiversity loss, soil erosion and soil infertility

• borrow pits remain unfilled and is used as a dumping pit, and breeding grounds for disease vectors.

Building Materials used in Mw

1. Human habitat degradation

• Faecal contamination of surface water and shallow wells,

• industrial pollution• Weak Waste management

system • Only 25% of the population

used piped water inside a dwelling unit

Human habitats that make populations vulnerable to disease

Solutions

• Environment friendly brick making to be incentivised

• Need for a settlement Policy• Rural growth centers – reduce migration to

urban areas• Better waste management (landfills)

2. Soil and Land degradation

• Malawi is blessed with very productive ecosystems and fertile soils

• However, poor land management practices have threatened soil fertility leading to soils with very low organic content, nutrient deficiency, impermeability and poor water retention due to among other things low utilization of manures.

• Farming expansion to marginal lands & forests

• High Soil erosion and nutrient loss

LEAD SEA Inspire Leadership for a Sustainable World

2. Soil and Land Degradation

• Wanton tree cutting and bush fires are the causal factors in some areas.

Solutions

• Conservation Agriculture/ Climate Smart Agriculture

• Rainwater harvesting • Manure making, composting• Soil organic carbon sequesteration (no tillage)

3. Forestry Resource Degradation

• 88.5% of population depend on biomass for energy needs (in 2008) – fuelwood, residues, charcoal.

• Forests declining at rate of 2.8% every year• extensive fire damage in plantations and

encroachment in protected areas.

Mulanje massif

SolutionsAgroforestry

Promote Forestry related livelihoods- beekeeping, mushrooms

Natural Regeneration and afforestation

Address energy security

4. Fisheries Resource Degradation

• Over-fishing • Use of inappropriate gears• Monitoring and enforcement of fisheries

legislation still a problem• Use of local poison for fishing

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

MakumbaMatembaMlambaOthers

tonnes)

Lake Chilwa fish species catches (2000-2009).Source: Department of Fisheries.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

tonnes)

Fish catches from Aquaculture.Source: Department of Fisheries.

SolutionCreating

awarenessWater pollution

prevention

Catchment management

Enforce

regulations

5. Water Resource Degradation

• Increasing Pollution from industrial & domestic waste

• Increasing Agrochemical pollution from farms, causing eutrophication

• Water & sanitation infrastructure insufficient to due to urban population density

• Siltation from land use changes in catchments

Mulunguzi River Zomba flowing through good forest cover

Likangala River silted due to less forest cover and land use changes

Lake Malawi in 2001

Lake Malawi in 2006

Reduce water pollution from siltation, industry, and human settlements.

Develop national and river basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plans

Irrigation systems to be environmentally safe

Solutions

6. Biological Diversity

• Poaching• Habitat loss due to land use

changes• Poor monitoring systems for

biodiversity loss

Widdringtonia whytei forest on Mulanje Mountain

Rhampholeon platyceps (Malawi dwarf stump-tailed chameleon)

6. Biological Diversity

Lake Chilwa periodically dries up, when there is less fish, go for the birds

Threatened Mammal Species

• Water pollution – siltation, water weeds including Invasive alien species

• Weak conservation of wildlife corridors, wetland preservation

Monitor biodiversity to effectively address species loss and habitat change.

Develop public-private partnerships in ecotourism. Mainstream gender issues into conservation

programmes in recognition of the fact that women are the predominant collectors of forest products.

Extend and improve the Payment for Ecosystem Services program, in which businesses pay communities for maintenance of catchments & flow of ecosystem services.

Solutions

7. Climate and Air Quality

• There is insufficient data on air quality in Malawi and this is largely due to lack of monitoring stations in the districts and low institutional support.

• Lack of air quality legislation could be resulting in pollution problems especially in the urban areas.

Total Emissions for Malawi (2000)

Source : APINA, 2008

Less industrial emissions, more residential and agriculture sector emissions – use of biomass

Climate Change and Climate Variability

Number of people affected by extreme events (3 droughts, 15 floods, 1 storm) between 2000 and 2009: 9.6 million

• Climate change has a negative impact on:– water; – agricultural and thereby food security and incomes; – the sustainability of natural resources; – health (due to flood related outbreaks of malaria,

cholera; malnutrition) Inspiring Leadership for a Sustainable World

Climate Change Policy being developedUrgently seek alternative energy sources

thereby reducing emissionsCreate subsidies or incentives for poor

consumers to shift to green energy sources.

Support adaptation programmes to reduce vulnerability to extreme climate events such as droughts and floods.

Solutions

8. Environmental Education and Public Awareness

• Most of the tertiary education institutions have incorporated issues of environmental management in their curricula

• Wildlife clubs, non formal education, NGOs, Faith groups

• Teaching materials and teacher/extension worker skill and knowledge in integrated approach to information dissemination need to be improved

9. Industry, Energy and Mining and the Environment

• The major problems affecting the industrial, and mining sectors are lack of compliance of environmental standards.

• air and water pollution • Inadequate enforcement of legislation and lack

of incentives on good waste management• Hydropower affected by env degradation• Promote cleaner technologies in industries,

energy supply

Other Important Factors

• Population puts pressure on natural resources

Unmet need for Family Planning 27% (AFIDEP-PAI Brief, 2012)

Population and Per Capita water projections for Malawi (1999-2040)

Source: EOR, 2011

Other important Factors

• Poverty

• The combined effects of climate change and rapid population growth are increasing food insecurity, environmental degradation and poverty levels in Malawi.

How valuable is the environment?

Source: Economic Valuation of Natural Resource use in Malawi, 2011

What is the cost of unsustainable natural resource use?

$191 million!

Source: Economic Valuation of Natural Resource use in Malawi, 2011

• "Those who think the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while counting your money".

Conclusion: Need to Conserve Nat ResPreserve ecosystems Reduce povertySustainable Development and Adapt to climate change.

HOME GROWN SOLUTIONS!

References• Government of Malawi (2003). National Environment Action Plan, EAD, Lilongwe• Government of Malawi (2011). State of Environment and Outlook Report 2010, EAD, Lilongwe.• LEAD SEA (2012). National Stocktaking Report for Rio +20, Unpublished Report.• Chiotha S., Pullanikkatil D. (2012). A Review of Malawi Energy Sector, GSE Research papers. • Government of Malawi (2002). State of the Environment Report, Environmental Affairs Department, Lilongwe.• Government of Malawi (2009). Second National Communication to the UNFCCC, Environmental Affairs Department,

Lilongwe.• Government of Malawi (2009). Malawi Biomass Energy Strategy, Department of Energy, Lilongwe. • Government of Malawi. (2009). Malawi Millennium Development Goals Report, Government of Malawi, Lilongwe.• Government of Malawi (2010) Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, Annual Economic Report 2010,

Lilongwe. • Government of Malawi (2010). Irrigation Department Progress Report, Lilongwe.

AcknowledgementsProf. Sosten Chiotha and Welton Phalira

LEAD SEA

Thank youContact: d_pullani@yahoo.com

Event information: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/global-health/project-pages/symposia/Global_Food_Security_Programme

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