MPs asked to increase investment in Forestry and Wildlife in Malawi

Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (MPCC) has called upon Members of Parliament (MPs) to put Forestry and Wildlife governance first at the Centre of the overall development agenda especially at this time when Parliamentarians are embarking on United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change campaigns (UNFCCC), ahead of Conference of Parties (COP) 21 in Paris, France.

The revelations were made during the Stakeholders’ Meeting on Forestry and Wildlife Governance in Malawi, with a theme: “Combating Forestry and Wildlife Crimes through Strengthened Policy and Legal Processes on Monday in Lilongwe. The workshop aimed at sharing experiences and updates on the current forestry and wildlife crimes as well as status of the policy and legislation frameworks.

Co- Chair for MPCC and Vice Chairperson for Natural Resources and Climate Change in Parliament Alex Major urged all stakeholders to joint hands in fighting forestry and wildlife crimes in Malawi to improve country’s economy.

“Environment adds beauty to any country which attracts tourist hence earning foreign currencies to the development economy. Therefore, forestry and wildlife is critical to Malawi economy and emphasis is that citizen should be committed to conserve and sustain management of Malawi’s natural resource so as it is with MPCC”, said Major.

In addition, the Kasungu West MP, lament that MPCC is building partnerships among Parliamentarians across political party lines to manage the malpractice of environment in the country. For instance, the adverse climatic hazard such as prolonged dry spell, seasonal droughts, floods and increased outbreaks of environmental diseases such as Malaria and Cholera are among dangers of poor management of natural resources in Malawi.

Assistant Director for Department of forestry Teddie Kamoto expressed disappointment on the knowledge gap on issues of managing the environment saying has resulted to more deforestation and forest degradation due to increased demand for wood fuels. The delay in concluding court cases limit the exercise of conserving the natural resources among others in Malawi.

“However, awareness campaigns, involvement of community policing and mobile roadblock and Forestry Policy and Legal Framework are among the strategies to combat effects of climate change in the forestry department. But also educating parliamentarians and the general public about the economic costs of poor natural resources management, ways to engage in stewardship of the environment, and the benefits of the natural resources conservation”, lamented Kamaoto