Notes to broadcasters
Located in Southern Malawi, the village of Mulanje is heavily reliant on farming for sustainability. In recent years, it has faced several severe weather events that have had a terrible impact on its ecosystem and caused massive deforestation. It has been devastated by cyclones, including Cyclone Freddy in 2023, and drought. In 2019, the community was given a helping hand by Greenpop, a non-profit organization based in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Through activities such as replanting of trees, managing tree nurseries, and beekeeping, the Mulanje landscape restoration project aims to rehabilitate local biodiversity. These efforts are examples of Nature-based Solutions, working with nature to address climate change challenges while improving livelihoods and protecting ecosystems. This radio script speaks to several leaders on the project, including Chris Nash of Greenpop, Christopher Mwale of Mulanje Mission Hospital, Tennyson Chinseu, the village headman, as well as maize farmers Lydia Kachingwe and Jack Mingole.
This script is based on actual interviews. If you decide to use this script, please remember to inform your audience that the voices are those of actors, and not the original people involved in the interviews. You could also use this script as inspiration to research and develop a radio program on the benefits of reducing deforestation in farming areas.
If you choose to use this script as inspiration for creating your own program, you could talk to farmers and other experts. You could ask the following questions:
- What are some of the changes that have been visible in the day-to-day activities of the community, especially among farmers, due to deforestation?
- What were the challenges associated with deforestation experienced by the community?
- What do you think were the main causes of deforestation in the area?
- How have interventions to curb deforestation assisted the community, ecologically, socially as well as economically?
Runtime is 30 minutes, including intro and extro music
Script
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC UP, THEN FADE OUT
HOST:
Good day listener, and welcome to yet another informative program on small-scale farming. In today’s show, we turn our attention to the rural community of Mulanje in Malawi. Mulanje is a beautiful village nestled at the base of Mount Mulanje, but the region has been badly affected by extreme climate events. In March 2023, the village experienced six months’ worth of rain in just six days when Cyclone Freddy hit. The area was already deforested from illegal logging, fires, and demand for firewood, and without trees, the mountain slopes turned to rivers of rocks and mud. Fields were smothered, but the villagers are resilient, working to restore their lands and plant trees to protect them during future extreme climate events. In an effort to undo the damage caused by years of unsustainable farming practices and deforestation, the community has chosen a different route. The people of Mulanje have opted to employ Nature-based Solutions such as using cook stoves instead of cutting trees for wood, starting tree nurseries to reforest areas, and beekeeping to create a sustainable income for the community instead of relying on the sale of charcoal.
Today we will explore some of these efforts, hearing from villagers, as well as the work of two organizations leading a large sustainability project. We will turn first to Greenpop, an organisation based in the Western Cape in South Africa, and Mulanje Mission Hospital.
SIGNATURE TUNE UP AND OUT
HOST:
We begin our program today by speaking to Chris Nash, who is the head of restoration at Greenpop. Mr. Nash, I understand that part of the reason your team got involved was to address deforestation in the village of Mulanje. To start, could you please set the scene and share some of the main causes of deforestation in Mulanje?
CHRIS NASH:
Well, first of all, most of the cooking is still by wood. There is a big demand for wood for cooking and then there is an economic incentive for charcoal. There is also a large population size, a declining agricultural output, the reduction of land holding size, and also climate vulnerability. In the years of significant climate events, like when there are cyclones, like Cyclone Freddy, severe droughts, as well as conditions resulting in crop failure, the deforestation rates go off the charts.
HOST:
Tell us about the work of Greenpop. Where are some of your projects based?
CHRIS NASH:
Our works reach is quite far. We do urban greening across the four cities in South Africa, forest restorations in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, as well as Malawi. We have had other projects in Zambia and Tanzania, which are not active at the moment, but Malawi continues.
HOST:
What led to the decision to go to Malawi?
CHRIS NASH:
We got involved in the Malawi landscape project initially when we were contracted for an educational aspect for a project in capacity building related to climate adaptation, between 2017 and 2019, working with the Rain Forest Alliance. We were helping create guidelines and train small-scale farmers on methods to build resilience. We started there offering environmental education related to climate adaptation, and in that process, we met our current partners Mulanje Mission Hospital. They had a fantastic Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, which is quite interesting for a charity hospital providing healthcare services to the community. They realized that to properly address healthcare challenges, they needed to take a preventative approach, by helping villagers establish tree nurseries, try to help them create alternative livelihoods to build resilience, and one of the main programs is through beekeeping.
HOST:
These activities are examples of Nature-based Solutions, working with nature to address climate change challenges while improving livelihoods and protecting the ecosystem. Can you tell us a little more about the beekeeping project?
CHRIS NASH:
We’ve realized that in the areas that are being restored, for example, trees being planted on river banks to stabilize the banks and to stop erosion, we can incentivize the protection of those spaces through beekeeping. We provide bee hives and training, which gives a revenue source from that land, because without that the villagers would see it as reducing their agricultural space. This has been very successful, because they came to realize that they can actually earn a higher and a diversified income from beekeeping, which has less inputs in terms of time and energy. It also produces a high value product.
HOST:
Interesting! Mr Nash, I understand that you have other programs in place to help the community create other sustainable sources of income, instead of cutting down trees for charcoal to sell. Can you tell us more a some of these programs?
CHRIS NASH:
There are other programs like the Livestock Pass-on Programme, where they may get funding and distribute chickens or goats to certain villages as a loan. The offspring of those animals need to get passed on to other households. There is a village savings and loans program, to connect village structures to financial services and get them to open a bank account and manage their resources more effectively. We are impressed by the scope of the program in Mulanje.
HOST:
What is your involvement when it comes to the Mulanje project?
CHRIS NASH:
A lot of our work really depends on partnerships. We work with local partners. In this case, Mulanje Mission Hospital, through their Sustainable Livelihoods Programme. We are not coming from afar and doing all the work ourselves, we are supporting what is in a sense already happening, and giving input – one is funding. We fundraise for our partners and provide funding for reforestation. Companies can sponsor a tree in one of those regeneration projects across Africa. We also support with typical expertise. We try to bring knowledge around best practices with regards to ecosystem restoration, reforestation, and sustainable development.
HOST
Thank you so much, Mr. Nash, for the valuable information you have shared with us today.
SFX: SIGTUNE FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN FADE UNDER HOST
HOST:
A warm welcome to you! If you just stepped in, we have just been speaking to Chris Nash of Greenpop, an organization based in the Western Cape in South Africa. We spoke about the work they have been doing with Mulanje Mission Hospital in Malawi. Next up, we will speak to Christopher Mwale who is the project officer for the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme at Mulanje Mission Hospital. Welcome, Mr. Mwale, and thank you for being a part of the program. Can you tell me a bit about the project you are running in the community?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
Our program started in 2017, which was after doing appraisals in our model villages. Those are villages where we concentrate most of our activities so that other villages can learn from them. After conducting a public rural appraisal there was a concern about the depletion of the natural environment. It was noted that the communities were facing the results of climate change. Mulanje Mission Hospital, through its Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, then started working on reforestation.
HOST:
Mr Mwale, you mentioned public rural appraisals –where you meet with the community to take stock of the environmental issues troubling the community in order to come up with solutions to those problems.How does the hospital interact with the community when it comes to programs aimed at assisting them?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
Whenever we initiate a project in the community, we do appraisals just to see what the community is dealing with. We hold meetings to talk with everyone. We then have follow-up meetings with the community and other stakeholders to check if any of the activities put in place are making a real difference.
HOST:
Thanks for sharing this. What would you say are the causes of the deforestation in the area?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
We found that the main factor was poverty. High poverty levels are accelerating the deforestation in the community. Our poorly resourced communities have to cut down trees to burn charcoal in order to sell it and make a living.
HOST:
What kind of trees are replanted as part of the project and do you ensure that they are indigenous to the area?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
We use trees that are indigenous to the area. We ensure that the trees are not invasive. We go for fast-growing trees and also the ones that mature late like mahogany. So that when some trees are cut others can remain.
HOST:
From your observation and experience, how would you say the project has benefited the community?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
To address poverty, we introduced a beekeeping component. Through this initiative, Mulanje Mission Hospital helped establish a reliable market for honey, allowing participants to earn income from honey sales. Young people, men, and women are all involved, as the program is open to people of all ages and genders across the community. As a result, the community has become more economically empowered and resilient. We have also seen the natural beauty of the landscape gradually return. Even villages that are no longer formally part of the project, due to its timelines, continue to apply the conservation practices and principles they learned.
HOST:
How did Cyclone Freddy and other natural disasters affect the project and the community?
CHRISTOPHER MWALE:
We have experienced devastating impacts from Cyclone Freddy and other natural disasters. Many trees that had been part of the conservation program for several years were lost. Community members also suffered heavy losses, with homes destroyed by strong winds and crops washed away by the cyclones. Riverbanks were severely affected — at least 80% of the trees along them were washed away — but with support from Greenpop, we were able to replace them. Despite the damage, these disasters have actually increased community participation. People now want to be more resilient and better prepared for such harsh climatic conditions in the future.
HOST:
Thank you for your contribution, Mr. Mwale. After a short break, we will go to Mulanje to hear from community members.
SHORT MUSICAL INTERLUDE, THEN FADE UNDER SFX
SFX FROM VILLAGE: BIRDS, WIND, FADE UNDER HOST’S VOICE
HOST:
We are now in the village of Mulanje, at the base of Mount Mulanje. This is in the centre of Malawi’s tea growing region. The scene is full of shades of green. Miombo woodlands dominate the lower slopes of the mountain. This type of woodland is common across Southern Africa. Higher up the mountain slopes are fog-laden forests and grasslands that are home to nearly 70 endemic plants. This is the source of nine major rivers and countless streams.
Mount Mulanje is one of Malawi’s oldest forest reserves and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. But these designations aren’t enough to protect the mountain’s biodiversity. This is where local support is needed. More than a million people live in the districts of Mulanje and Phalombe. Farmers grow tea, maize, beans, vegetables, and other food crops. These populations need fuel, charcoal, and the income that can come from trees. Mulanje cedar is resistant to termites and water, fetching good prices. Tennyson Chinseu, village headman, will tell us about the efforts made by the community to curb deforestation, including setting up bylaws to prevent people from cutting down trees. Mr. Chinseu, what do these bylaws mean for the community? If a person decides to cut down a tree in a protected area, what does it mean for them?
TENNYSON CHINSEU:
The bylaws are designed to protect both the community and the trees. If a person is caught cutting a tree in protected areas, they may be fined — for example, by providing a goat — and required to plant 50 trees in the same area under the supervision of the chief. If they fail to meet these conditions, the police become involved. The person can be arrested and taken to court, where it is the prerogative of the court to decide what should happen next. In some cases, they may also be sentenced to perform community service for the benefit of the wider community.
HOST:
Why is the protection of trees so important to you and the community?
TENNYSON CHINSEU:
After rampant cutting down of trees, rainfall was affected – we didn’t get enough rain. After starting natural regeneration programs and conserving the trees, we seem to be moving back to the normal climate conditions that we grew up with. It is important to protect this return to normal.
HOST:
How has your collaboration with Greenpop supported the community, especially given that you already had bylaws in place to protect trees?
TENNYSON CHINSEU:
The coming in of Greenpop strengthened our commitment to protecting and conserving trees in our area. Greenpop is supporting the group that champions this work in my community by helping establish a community tree nursery, where seedlings are produced locally and then planted across the area to restore degraded land and support long-term conservation efforts.
MUSIC, THEN FADE UNDER HOST’S VOICE
HOST:
We have just heard from Tennyson Chinseu, the headman in Mulanje village who has spoken to us about how bylaws set up by the traditional leadership alongside the community have helped reduce the cutting down of trees in the area. Next up, we will speak to Lydia Kachingwe, a 42-year-old mother of four who is a maize and sorghum farmer. She will share experiences about being involved in the forest restoration project.
HOST:
Ms. Kachingwe, it is great to have you in the program. Can you please tell us what your experience has been, being a farmer in your village?
LYDIA KACHINGWE:
For a long time, I have been struggling with farming because of the terrible climate conditions. I have also been struggling to get seeds, fertilisers, and other farming inputs needed for my work. I have to buy these, and often times I do not have the money to purchase them, as some are too expensive and difficult to access in my area.
HOST:
What specific climate-related challenges are making farming difficult for you, and how are they affecting your crops and harvests?
LYDIA KACHINGWE:
We are having too many dry spells, and there is very little rain coming through during the season. On top of all this, we have a huge problem with pests eating our crops. They often destroy parts of our plants — the roots, leaves, and cobs — and we are left with nothing. We just get a few maize to survive, only enough for me and the children. I then don’t have any surplus to sell at the market.
HOST
: Ms Kachingwe, I understand that besides being a maize farmer, you plant trees, take care of the tree nurseries and look after the forests with other community members. What do you think the community’s responsibility is in fighting deforestation?
LYDIA KACHINGWE:
It is the responsibility of the community to patrol the areas where trees are planted as well as to prevent any cutting of trees in the areas. The community should be the ones checking if there is any damage done to the protected areas. We currently do all this as a community in my area. We patrol and we take care of the tree nurseries.
HOST:
That sounds really good! Please tell me more about the patrolling programs you run as community members.
LYDIA KACHINGWE:
During patrols, it is usually 10 of us per patrolling session, both during the day and at night. We patrol regularly, moving through the area to monitor activities and ensure rules are respected, especially during the night when illegal activities are more likely to happen. We walk around checking to see if there are people stealing the trees in the protected areas. While we carry sticks for protection, we do nothing to the people we catch stealing trees. We refer them to the right authorities for them to face justice.
HOST:
Thank you, Ms Kachingwe, for honouring our invitation to come talk about the work being done by the farming community of Mulanje to restore the landscape in an effort to recoup the ecosystem of the area.
SFX: SOUNDS OF BIRDS CHIRPING AND BEES BUZZING
HOST:
Now we go straight to Jack Mingole, a maize farmer who is now a beekeeper after joining the forest restoration project. Mr. Mingole, can you please tell us how maize farming has been going for you?
JACK MINGOLE:
I am struggling at the moment with my farming because I do not have enough farming resources, and we are also facing very harsh climatic conditions. These challenges are making it hard for me to farm properly. We are getting too little rain and too much sun, and this situation is very bad for the crops and affects our harvests very badly.
HOST:
Thank you for sharing that. It really helps us understand the challenges you’re facing. Let’s go back a bit now. How did you start farming?
JACK MINGOLE
: I grew up in a farming household, my parents were also maize farmers.
HOST:
Were your parents going through the same issues during their time farming?
JACK MINGOLE:
They had their own challenges but their farming harvests were not as bad as ours. In the past my parents were farming using low inputs, that is seeds, fertilizers, water, etc., but they were harvesting more. It’s vice versa now, with the current climate conditions, we put in more and harvest less.We now even need a water pumping machine whereas they used to get water from rivers and that was good enough.
HOST:
Do you support the movement to plant trees as well as the setting up of bylaws to protect them?
JACK MINGOLE
: As farmers, we support the protection and the replanting of trees. I take part in all the projects aimed at replenishing forests and trees. I also abide by the bylaws. We hope that this will curb the problem of deforestation and that it will reduce the effects of climate change on our lives.
HOST:
How has being a part of the beekeeping project impacted you and your family?
JACK MINGOLE:
Beekeeping has boosted me more. I have renovated my house and put on an iron sheet roof. Before the beekeeping, my family and I were living in a thatch house. So beekeeping has really assisted me in taking care of my family and providing for them.
HOST:
Thank you so much, Mr Mingole. Dear listeners, we have just heard from Jack Mingole, a maize farmer who is also a beekeeper. He has shared his experiences about the losses he incurred because of deforestation in his community and how he and other community members are now working together to deliver solutions to deforestation. We would love to hear from you regarding your thoughts on this topic. Send us your comments and suggestions via text to the number provided at the end of the program.
SIGNATURE TUNE UP THEN UNDER
HOST:
We have come to the end of our show, after discussing how the community of Mulanje restored their ecosystem. They introduced beekeeping and other projects to provide a source of income beyond cutting trees. They also introduced bylaws and set up patrols to protect the forest and prevent trees from being cut down. We have heard from our guests including Chris Nash the head of restoration, for Greenpop, Christopher Mwale who is the project officer for Mulanje Mission Hospital’s Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, and Tennyson Chinseu who is the village headman. They have shared how Mulanje Mission Hospital through its Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, the community of Mulanje, and Greenpop are working to restore the forest in the area and trying to get the ecosystem back to its original state in an effort to better the lives of the community.
Acknowledgements
Contributed by: Lungi Langa, freelance journalist, South Africa
Reviewed by: Ms. Joyce Mbingo, Country Manager, Nature Positive Foodsystems Program, Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Information sources
Interviews:
- Chris Nash, Head of restoration, Greenpop, Western Cape, South Africa, interviewed 29 October 2025
- Christopher Mwale, Mulanje Mission Hospital, Project officer, Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, Mulanje, Malawi, interviewed 30 October and 1 December 2025
- Tennyson Chinseu, village headman, Mulanje, Malawi, interviewed, 17 Novermber 2025
- Lydia Kachingwe, maize farmer Mulanje, Malawi, interviewed, 21 Novermber 2025
- Jack Mingole, maize farmer and beekeeper in Mulanje, Malawi, interviewed 21 November 2025
Documents:
Kamnitzer, Ruth. “Reforesting Malawi’s ‘Island in the Sky’ to save its vanishing woodlands. 28 February 2025. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2025/02/reforesting-malawis-island-in-the-sky-to-save-its-vanishing-woodlands/