Radolfzell am Bodensee / Blantyre, Malawi, 02.02.2022: The species richness is immense: with 700 to 800 cichlid species, many of which only occur here and nowhere else in the world, Lake Malawi is one of the most species-rich ecosystems on earth. The surface area of the lake is as large as the federal state of Brandenburg, making Lake Malawi one of the ten largest lakes in the world. It is also the third largest and second deepest on the African continent. With an estimated age of several million years, Lake Malawi is also one of the oldest lakes on earth, the so-called “Ancient Lakes”. In the course of evolution, an extraordinary diversity of species has developed here.
It can take a while for the negative effects of human activity to become apparent in such a gigantic lake – and yet unfortunately Lake Malawi has already clearly passed this point. That is why the Global Nature Fund (GNF) and the international Living Lakes network have named it “Threatened Lake of the Year 2022”. Every year, on World Wetlands Day on February 2, this title is used to draw attention to a lake or wetland that is severely threatened by human intervention. The aim is also to identify ways to protect this unique habitat in the long term.
Human activity leaves clear traces
In recent decades, Malawi has increased its population almost fivefold, from four million people in 1964, the year of independence, to an estimated 19.7 million today. Daniel Mwakameka, Managing Director of the Living Lakes partner organization Action for Environmental Sustainability (AfES) in Malawi, explains: “The demand for food is now almost impossible to meet. The consequences are overfishing, loss of species and pollution of Lake Malawi. Fish from the lake covers around seventy percent of the demand for animal protein in this country. As fish consumption increases, fish stocks are coming under pressure. Population growth has also led to increased land cultivation in the lake’s catchment area. Inappropriate agricultural practices, clear-cutting, soil erosion and high use of fertilizers and pesticides disrupt the nutrient cycle in the lake and pose a serious threat to the sensitive ecosystem. In addition, Lake Malawi is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”
Hunger and poverty fuel the vicious circle
Over the last two decades, the amount of rainfall in East Africa has decreased significantly and the water level of the huge lake has fallen. This threatens the livelihoods of millions of local fishermen and their families in Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. More than half of the population lives below the poverty line, with a quarter of people living in extreme poverty. Especially in communities in the immediate vicinity of the lake, people often lack the most basic necessities. Out of necessity, environmentally harmful fishing methods are used, which often ignore closed seasons and the legal framework.
Possible ways out of the crisis
So far, these problems, coupled with natural disasters, a lack of financial and technical capacity, a lack of knowledge about protecting water ecosystems and weak political coordination, have hampered efforts to protect Lake Malawi. However, it is not yet too late to change the situation at the lake for the better. Therefore, GNF and Living Lakes together with AfES Malawi demand the immediate implementation of the following measures:
- 1. rehabilitation of all degraded areas on Lake Malawi and in its catchment area, including the promotion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture;
- 2. reducing direct pressure on the lake by raising awareness and providing alternative livelihoods, e.g. fish farming in ponds;
- 3. improving capacities and knowledge of aquatic ecosystems among the local population and decision-makers and giving greater consideration to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems in development planning;
- 4. targeted training of relevant professionals and communities on how to collect, process and store data for informed decision-making to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems;
- 5. more equitable sharing of access to the lake’s biodiversity and ecosystem services.
First steps in the right direction
In cooperation with GNF, AfES carries out concrete projects to combat threats to Lake Malawi. For Thies Geertz, project manager at GNF, raising awareness and educating local people play a central role: “We want to support decision-makers in the relevant authorities, fishing associations, management committees and village committees in the sustainable use of natural resources. Farmers receive training in biodiversity-friendly agriculture, agroforestry and fish pond management. If we develop alternative income opportunities together with the local people, they have a chance of maintaining their own livelihoods.”
About the Global Nature Fund and Living Lakes
Since 1998, the Global Nature Fund (GNF) has been committed to nature and the environment from its base in Radolfzell on Lake Constance. As coordinator of the global Living Lakes network, GNF, together with over 130 partner organizations and 113 lakes and wetlands in 57 countries on all continents, promotes water protection, draws attention to the dangers that threaten lakes, rivers and wetlands around the globe and develops solutions for their conservation.
About Action for Environmental Sustainability (AfES)
Action for Environmental Sustainability (AfES), a national non-governmental organization in Malawi, has been working to combat environmental degradation and poverty since 2007. The activities of AfES include reforestation measures, the creation of community forests, the promotion of natural forest regeneration and sustainable agroforestry, support in the development and implementation of forest management plans, the promotion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture, the creation of alternative sources of income for the local population, sustainable energy, environmental awareness and lobbying.
Contacts
Global Nature Fund (GNF) – International Foundation for Environment and Nature
Thies Geertz
Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4
78315 Radolfzell
Phone: +49 7732 9995 83
E-mail: geertz@globalnature.org
Website: www.globalnature.org
Action for Environmental Sustainability (AfES) Malawi
Daniel Mwakameka
Magalasi Road, Kameza, Gulliver
Po Box 3415, Blantyre, Malawi
Phone: +265 111 907 773 / +265 888 377 823
E-mail: afes2010@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.afesmw.org
