Managing Soil and Water Through Community Tree Establishment and Management: A Case of Agabu and Kandota Villages in Ntcheu District, Malawi

Agriculture is the backbone of Malawi’s economy, with over 90% of the country’s population living in rural areas depending on agriculture for their livelihood. Consequently, deforestation is very pronounced because of the active agricultural industry which necessitates extensive clearing of woodlands. Trees are required in agriculture for both wood and non-wood products, protection of water catchments and preventing soil erosion thereby increasing agricultural productivity. In order to find out the technical and organizational aspects in community tree establishment and management, a research study was carried out in Agabu and Kandota villages in Ntcheu District. The study revealed that more than 55% of the people in both villages are involved in community forestry activities which include seed collection, seed processing, seed storage, nursery establishment, nursery management and out-planting of trees in communal village forest areas, gardens and around homes. More than 70% of the community members value indigenous trees over the exotic trees because of their multipurpose functions as a source of fuel, timber and poles, edible fruits and leaves, animal feed, medicine and as a source of manure which improves soil fertility and retains soil moisture. The study also identified that in both villages there are community forest clubs which are responsible for ensuring that members of the communities participate actively in the communal forest activities. The study recommends that government agencies, communities and other stakeholders must be involved in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes to ensure sustainability in the management of natural resources.