103 / 148
89
Reverse biodiversity loss by 2010
The extent of protected land area in Malawi has
remained at 10 585 sq kmsince 1990, amounting to
nine per cent of the total surface area in a densely
populated country, as shown in Figure 4.18.
Figure 4.19 shows the ratio of area protected to
maintain biological diversity.
Source: SADC and SARDC 2008
0
Protected areas share of total land area
in Malawi
9%
0.155
0.150
0.160
0.165
0.170
0.175
0.180
0.185
1990
1995 2000
2005
2010 2010 2015
Ratio of total land area
Area protected to maintain biodiversity
in Malawi
Source: Government of Malawi 2009
MDG Target
Current Path
Linearly Projected Value
5
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
Percentage
Change in proportion of land area
covered by forests in Malawi
Source: Government of Malawi 2009, FAO 2010
Zimbabwe (FAO 2005). Harvesting wood to fuel
the tobacco-curing process accounts for roughly
one-quarter of household wood consumption.
Overall, it is estimated that demand for wood
exceeds supply by 30 per cent (UNEP 2008). The
rising price of alternative energy sources, such
as oil, has increased reliance on fuelwood in
recent years to over 90 per cent of energy use
(FAO 2005).
Malawi is a water-stressed nation since only
1 374 cu m of water is available per person
annually even though annual internal surface
water production in 2007 was 16.14 cu km
(FAOSTAT 2007). Three-quarters of Malawi’s
rivers are significantly polluted by human waste
while soil erosion and pollution from agriculture
pose a significant threat to freshwater resources
(UNEP 2008).
The extent of carbon emissions is not well
documented in Malawi and is not considered a
significant factor in environmental sustainability.
Figure 4.17
Figure 4.18
Figure 4.19
There is a big demand for firewood in Malawi.
© SARDC