The Timber Trade in Malawi

Timber trade malawi

The Forestry Department in Malawi, which is responsible for all forestry matters, was established in 1942. There are two turning points in Malawi’s history, which have had a significant influence on the forestry sector. The first is 1964, when Malawi gained its independence from British colonial rule and was subsequently ruled under a single political party system.

In terms of forestry, this is the year in which the government of Malawi started to invest heavily in the establishment of industrial forest plantations in all three regions of the country. The second significant year is 1994, when the second republic was established. With it, multi-party politics and many other government reforms, including decentralisation and privatisation were introduced. Both the politics and reforms have had fundamental effects on how forests and the timber trade are managed in Malawi.