Challenges We Tackle
Malawi has faced severe deforestation in the last 20 years. In 2010, forests made up only 28% of the country
surface, of which only 7% is public and 21% in national parks and protected reserves, while more than 12 million
people daily, with a growing tendency, depend on woodfuels and open fire. They are collecting and burning firewood,
charcoal and parrafin every day to cook food, boil drinking water, and create a basic light source in the early
darkness.
The deforestation rate is meanwhile estimated at over 3% per year, leaving serious concerns about the resulting
threats to food security and conflict potential, not mentioning the severe impacts on biodiversity, land degradation and
disturbance of moisture patterns which will further increase the irreversible and life-threatening effects, especially on
the most vulnerable parts of the population and in the rural areas.
Why not just cook on electric stoves? Well, only 7% of Malawian households are electrified and electrification outreach
to the semi-urban and rural areas is slow. Where the grid is available, connection fees as well as monthly electricity bills
are unaffordable for many - not to talk about the cost of the cheapest hotplate which is about half of the monthly
income of an unskilled labourer and will seldom hold longer than some months.. Besides, mains electricity is insufficient
for the demand , hence unreliable because of constant loadshedding - so even in most electrified households, a back-up
system and alternative stove are required.
Poor households’ budgets are thus drained by high costs for basic energies, and people are exposed to health risks,
security threats, read more...
Malawi
Population:13.3 mio
Electrified Households: 7%,
in rural areas: <1%
Average income rural areas:
MK 6,000
Cost of connection to grid: MK
27,000
Minimum monthly electricity bill
for basic family use:
> MK 1500
Cost of firewood for a week: up
to MK 1500
Cost of paraffin for 1 hr light:
MK 30-40
(Sources: UNDP, Government of
Malawi, own surveys)
Statistics on negative effects from cooking on firewood and charcoal
