The Department of Forestry has impounded 10 trucks carrying timber and charcoal at Dzalanyama Forest Reserve.

The development follows after the government pumped in K150 million for the Malawi Defence Force to train full-time armed forest rangers to patrol the forest. The Deputy Manager for Central Region Forestry, Alick Mitawa, said the operations are aimed at scaling down illegal production of charcoal and timber milling. “We were sad to see trucks carrying timber and charcoal coming out of the forest,” he said.

Charcoal burning has caused great concern for Malawi, as stakeholders have been bemoaning deforestation. In 2017, the Malawi Charcoal Policy under renewable energy, said that 97% of households in the country are using firewood or charcoal for cooking. In March this year, Karonga District Forestry Office Assistant District Forestry Officer Isaac Manda said patrols at the forests in the district bore no fruit as there was rampant charcoal burning. One of charcoal the producers in Karonga, Ipyana Moyo told Malawi News Agency that he indulged in charcoal production because of poverty and lack of employment, otherwise people in his trade are well aware that charcoal burning is illegal.

Dzalanyama Forest Reserve is a catchment area for Lilongwe River. Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) taps water to supply to the capital city and other surrounding areas.