LEX-FAOC105928

This National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP II) provides Malawi’s strategies and action plans for the management of biodiversity from 2015-2025. It has been prepared in response to the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II (MGDS II 2011-2016), which prioritises biodiversity management programs among other socio-economic and environmental issues. The strategy’s mission is to effectively implement programs that minimize the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services thereby securing the quality of life and contributing to human wellbeing and poverty eradication. The goal of the strategy is to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the environment and human wellbeing. This goal will be achieved through the following specific strategic objectives; (i) improve capacity and knowledge on biodiversity issues; (ii) mainstream biodiversity management into sectoral and local development plans; (ii) reduce direct pressures on biodiversity; (iii) improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity; and (iv) enhance access and benefits sharing from biodiversity and ecosystem services. In order to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the target of this strategy is that, by 2025, area under forest cover is increased by 4% and managed sustainably, ensuring conservation of biodiversity. Action to be implemented by the strategy are: (i) review and implement effective reforestation programmes that ensure survival and diversity of planted trees; (ii) develop and implement community based programmes on conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity; (iii) promote improved forest management techniques; (iv) promote the use of alternative sources of energy. Regarding the reduction of rural poverty, the strategy’s target is by 2025, the supply of important ecosystem services is safeguarded and restored, taking into account gender roles and responsibilities of the poor and the vulnerable. Actions to be taken are: (i) develop policy and legislative framework on biodiversity management that take into account the needs of vulnerable groups and gender roles; (ii) develop and implement collaborative management programs for the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with the participation of vulnerable groups including women; (iii) conduct awareness raising campaigns in the fringes of protected ecosystems on biodiversity management from a poverty and gender perspective; (iv) develop programs to support alternative income generating activities that can take away pressure from the ecosystems and support livelihood's and address gender issues (e.g. bee keeping; energy efficient stoves). In addition, the strategy plans to regulate access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge and share in a fair and equitable manner the benefit arising from utilization of the resources and associated traditional knowledge. To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, a number of key strategies will be implemented by the strategy in order to minimize anthropogenic pressures on vulnerable ecosystems to ensure that ecosystems are resilient to climate change through, among others, the following actions: (i) promote alternative energy sources to fuel wood and charcoal; (ii) promote sustainable livelihood programs such as bee keeping and mushroom production; (iii) identify and promote REDD+ program; (iv) promote afforestation programmes; (v) promote initiatives on payment of ecosystem services; (vi) promote enforcement of legislation. In addition, the strategy plans also to improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. Strategies to be implemented include: (i) to prevent the extinction of known threatened species and to improve and sustain their conservation, (ii) to maintain and safeguard the genetic diversity of domesticated plants and animals; and their wild relatives, (iii) to strengthen the level of protection on safe handling, transfer and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse impacts on biodiversity taking into account risks to human health. In the context of governance, Malawi has in place an institutional arrangement aimed at creating an enabling environment for implementation of biodiversity programs. The current arrangement includes the central and local government levels in which relevant statutory corporation and non-governmental organisations participate. The organisations are linked through committees and focal points at various levels. Implementation of the NBSAP II will follow the existing institutional arrangement.