The community members developed their vision journeys to systematically track use of the benfits. This allowed members to use the proceeds for their desired purposes. For example building decent houses
Extnsion workers assisting community on visioning
Prior formaulation of Vision journeys ensure community achieve desired goals
Community monitoring of individual performance encourages members
To prevent conflict the community divided itself into clans. Each clan manages its portion of the plantation. The heads of the clans comprise the executive committee. The community uses unform work plan to emsure activities are done timely. The approach has led zero conflicts and smooth running of the plantation business.
Social cohesion
existing relationships
Caln approach reduces conflicts among community memebrs on a common resource
Reliance on fellow relations leading to continuity of the activities
The success of forest management and restoration efforts has also hinged on the knowledge and skills acquired by the local forest organizations such as Village Natural Resources Management Committees. This has enabled the committee members to successfully implement ANR and fire prevention activities while adhering to good leadership skills to allow increased participation in restoration activities.
Community empowerment is a key enabling factor to consider within this building block because activities being implemented by the community members are as a result of the trainings/capacity building efforts by committed extension workers and other community leaders
Training acts as an incentive for communities to participate in restoration efforts because the knowledge gained is applied on their land.
Strong leadership and partnerships key to restoration
Forest landscape restoration efforts require a willing and enthusiastic social system led by Traditional Leaders who are traditionally custodians of customary land. The success of this solution has largely hinged on strong leadership and partnerships within.
Community Participation is a key enabling factor that is required for meaningful progress in the activities that are happening in the community. This is because without active participation they will not be any progress.
The political environment also plays a part in enabling restoration. Political leadership that provides guidance to communities for sustainable management of forest resources is always preferred.
Community Expectations. It is very important to manage the community's expectations through most activities concerning natural resource management. Most communities expect immediate results when it comes to working on forestry restoration and this presents a problem where they can get discouraged like some community members not participating in the activities.
Partnership is Key. For a smooth process of activities, the partnership is key between community members, government officials as well as Non-governmental organisations. It defines the roles to be played by all stakeholders
Leadership. Leadership determines the type of natural resources governance. Strong community leadership has been found to contribute to the better management of forests.
Youth participation is key. In order to have sustainable development, youth involvement is key since youth are the leaders of tomorrow.
Strong leadership and partnerships key to restoration
Empowerment of all actors involved is key
Accountability is key to governance and management
Signing the Forest Co-Management Agreement
Eliam Kamanga
TA Kamenya Gwaza and TA Kachindamoto signing the FCM agreement with the District Council and the DoF
Eliam Kamanga
In an effort to promote improved governance and management, the DoF and MCHF supported the development of a tripartite forest co-management agreement between the DoF, the District Council, and the local communities (represented by the TAs). Roles and responsibilities--including specific roles and commitments from supporting actors (including Malawi Police Service, Ministry of Justice, etc.) help stakeholders to hold one another accountable.
The forest-co-management agreement has been informed by a forest management plan, developed with data from the NFI and from a series of community consultations. This also resulted ion the identification and prioritization of degradation/restoration hotspots.
Evidence of implementation is important to incentivize and motivate partners to continue investing in forest co-management
Capitalizing on strong local leadership and partnerships with government and others
Land with the FR reclaimed from encroachers
Ponsillio Bwallo
Community sensitization meeting
Ponsillio Bwallo
The following building blocks have contributed to the success of the restoration realized to date.
Strong local leadership: Strong leadership by the Traditional Authorities and local committees facilitated participation, engagement, and buy-in.
Partnership with government departments: The GoM delivers timely training and support
Partnership with local and international NGOs.
The organization supported beneficiaries with resources including data, training/capacity building, and in some cases tools.
The factors that enabled success to date included building on the recognition that local leaders are the most trusted agents of development. Without the buy-in and strong leadership of the Traditional Authority (and his Group Village Headmen), getting the buy-in of the communities would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Lessons learned to date include:
Information, awareness, and advocacy are critical to community-led problem identification and problem-solving, and are prerequisites to community participation in "solutions".
Community participation in development work results in less costs in the implementation of activities.
Partnerships and collaboration with District Council and the Area Development Committee, and with non-governmental organizations are key to sourcing required technical support e.g., ANR and firebreak construction.
