Ecotourism is an alternative form of tourism which embraces tourism in the biophysical environment in natural areas. It incorporates ecologically sustainable activities, conservation supporting measures and involvement of local communities. The project would establish an ecotourism based enterprise for enhancing the local economy and improving the livelihoods of young individuals. The proposal has been formulated after careful consideration of the ecology and the existing socio-economy of Malawi. The proposed project seeks to usher young boys and girls from extreme poverty through ecotourism based enterprise development. Empowering them towards economic development will not only facilitate in improving their socio-economic condition, but will also help in betterment of the local economy. Furthermore, as the project is based on the principles of ecotourism, it will ensure biodiversity conservation and management of natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Rationale for the Project
Malawi is a landlocked country in South Africa, and shares its borders with Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania. The country has an estimated population of 18.6 million (2019), which is expected to double by 2038. As per the IMF Report,(Malawi economic development document, 2017), “the per capita GNI of Malawi was just US$320 in 2016, one of the lowest in the world. The per capita income has grown at only 1.5 percent between 1995 and 2014.” The report further suggests that Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with almost 50.7 percent of the population living below the poverty line and 25 percent living in extreme poverty. The country’s progress has been impacted by climate related shocks (floods of 2015 and drought of 2016) and political disturbances. Considering agriculture is the backbone of Malawian economy and climate change is negatively impacting agriculture of the country, there is a need to offer alternative livelihood sources to the people. An ideal solution to diversify the livelihood of the people of Malawi can be through promotion of Ecotourism.
Malawi is often described as the ‘Warm Heart Of Africa’, owing to the diversity that the country has to offer. Malawi offers year round tourism owing to the presence of beautiful landscapes, rich culture, adventure and biodiversity. Malawi has something to offer to everyone right from hiking to animal safaris, from exploring village life to star gazing.
Considering the huge opportunity that ecotourism offers both for improving livelihood and conserving biodiversity and local culture, the proposed intervention can be successfully implemented for reducing poverty in Malawi. With proper consultation and participation of the local communities and authorities, setting up ecotourism based enterprises in various locations can be a very lucrative development model for reducing poverty in Malawi.
According to Tugpa Kiper, Role of Ecotourism in Sustainable Development, 2013, natural and cultural landscapes form a basis for ecotourism. The geographical position, microclimatic conditions, wildlife, surface features and local food, traditions and people of Malawi can be appropriately utilized for promoting ecotourism.
According to The Nature Conservancy, ecotourism has the potential to improve both the biodiversity and the livelihoods of people. For the success of an ecotourism initiative the following conditions should be met:
- have a low impact upon a protected area’s natural resources
- involve stakeholders (individuals, communities, ecotourists, tour operators and government institutions) in the planning, development, implementation and monitoring phases;
- respect local cultures and traditions;
- generate sustainable and equitable income for local communities and for as many other stakeholders as possible, including private tour operators;
- generate income for protected area conservation; and
- educate all stakeholders about their role in conservation
Project Aim and Objectives
The proposed project seeks to usher 50 young boys and girls from extreme poverty through ecotourism based enterprise development in Malawi. Empowering them towards economic development will not only facilitate in improving their socio-economic condition, but will also help in betterment of the local economy. Furthermore, as the project is based on the principles of ecotourism, it will ensure biodiversity conservation and management of natural resources in a sustainable manner. Through the project our organization wishes to empower young men and women through creation of sustainable livelihood sources that are financially viable and socially acceptable. Keeping in mind the ecology of the region and the availability of markets, it is suggested that youth are trained in various aspects of ecotourism as there is a huge opportunity in the field. The project will be implemented during a period of 24 months and has the following two main objectives:
To develop ecotourism plans for two locations namely Mount Mulanje and Liwonde National Park in Malawi through a participatory approach that involves the local community of the area.
- Situation Analysis: Through the active participation of the local communities we will be conducting a situation analysis to determine their perceptions and aspirations regarding ecotourism activities. Our team will also undertake a SWOT analysis to find out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of promoting an ecotourism enterprise in the region.
- Mapping and documentation of the area: Our teams will undertake an in depth mapping exercise of the area. Mapping will be done to get detailed location of the following:
- Mapping of different Habitats
- GIS mapping of boundaries and corridors
- Conservation and protected areas
- Land use pattern
- We will also be carrying out detailed discussions with the local community to get document the following:
- Bio-physical resources
- Socio-cultural aspects
- Traditional practices
- Belief systems and Folklore
- Existing livelihood resources
- Impacts of Climate Change
- Mapping and documentation of the area: Our teams will undertake an in depth mapping exercise of the area. Mapping will be done to get detailed location of the following:
- Development of Ecotourism plan: As both the identified locations have different physical features and ecology, we will be preparing two community based ecotourism plans to suit the ecology and the cultural beliefs being practiced in the area. Based on the situation analysis and the mapping exercise suitable plans will be developed in consultation with the local communities and officials from the forest department and the department of tourism.
- Identification of Ecotourism Activities: In consultation with the local community and environment experts, we will be identifying suitable ecotourism activities for the project sites. Utilizing the principles of ecotourism we will be identifying only those activities that do not harm the ecology and the cultural beliefs of the region in any way.
- Review of existing tourism plans, reports and available literature on ecotourism in the region.
- Develop ecotourism guidelines and action plans for both the regions in consultation with the local communities.
- Tentative Activities for Mount Mulanje- Mount Mulanje is the highest peak in South-Central Africa. It is a huge, isolated massif with 20 peaks of more than 2,500m rising out of a disjointed plateau. The following activities can be suggested for Mount Mulanje Ecotourism Plan:
- Trekking
- Camping
- Exploring waterfalls and river pools
- Bird Watching
- Exploring village life at the base of the mountain
- Local dance and craft activities
- Establishment of mountain huts
- Rock Climbing
- Liwonde National Park: Liwonde National Park is situated on the east bank of the Shire (pronounced “shi-ray”) River, at the southern end of Lake Malombe. The park is long, thin and flat, with hills towards the southern tip. Some of the tentative ecotourism activities for Liwonde National Park are:
- Forest Safari
- Boating
- Village Life experience
- Accommodation in mud hut
- Traditional dances and songs
- Bird watching
- To provide training and build the capacities of 50 youth (25 from each area) on various aspects of eco-tourism and establishment of ecotourism based enterprises in the two identified locations).
- Training and Capacity Building: Once all the activities are identified, training will be provided to identified youth. Training will be conducted on different aspects of ecotourism. Given below are some of the skills for which training will be imparted.
- Tour and nature guides: Young boys can be trained in the basics of trekking and rock climbing including mountain manners, mountain hazards, camp site selection and operation and management of trekking groups/ tourists.
- Story Telling: Towards conserving the local culture of the area, they can also be trained on story-telling/folktales, village lifestyle, art culture, agriculture, history and will also be equipped in documenting.
- Bird Watching and identification of local fauna: They can also be trained on bird watching, butterfly identification and identification of local flora and fauna along with their uses and cultural significance.
- Hospitality and home-stay management: Few beneficiaries in the project site will be trained for homestay and hospitality management. They will be providing home stay by developing their houses with an aesthetic sense of Malawi by using local building material with an architectural sense of rural Malawi.
Production of local souvenirs: Some individuals in each site will be trained on making souvenirs from local materials that are available.
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- Exposure visits for the selected members to understand the needs and modalities of developing ecotourism packages in nearby areas will be conducted.
Biodiversity conservation and eco friendly activities: Towards promoting conservation of local resources and biodiversity, the identified youth will be given training on ways to conserve biodiversity.
Waste Management: We will also train the youth to manage the waste in a sustainable manner. There will be a complete ban on using plastic within the premises of the eco-camps and whatever waste is generated will be managed in a sustainable manner.
Establishment of Ecotourism based Enterprise in both the locations: Using local resources and necessary approvals from the Forest Department, Department of Trade, Industry and Tourism, we will support the identified youth in the project site to establish their ecotourism based enterprise.
- Approval from the government department for setting up huts.
- Creation of 10 homestays (5 in each project site) using locally available materials.
- Preparation of an ecotourism manual for all guests.
- Preparation of a guide on local flora, fauna of the areas.
- Preparation of tourist maps.
- Promoting Eco-Tourism in both the Regions by developing linkages with Tourism Companies and Government Offices.
Once the homestays have been created and people trained in various skills, a promotional campaign will be carried out and links established with tourism companies. We will be developing a website and along with publishing blogs and photographs on various social media pages. We will also distribute promotional brochures to nearby tourist agencies and tour operators.
Target Beneficiaries
The target beneficiaries include 50 young individuals (25 from each location). As of now, there are no vocational courses available in the area and therefore most youth have restricted options if they want to enhance their skills. The selection of the beneficiaries will be done through a screening test and interviews with the local community members.
Information on the skills sector and the training courses that form part of the Project.
The project focuses on imparting training under the tourism and hospitality industry. The identified youth will be trained on all aspects of ecotourism and marketing.
Expected Outputs and outcomes of the Project
Outputs:
- GIS maps showing Land Use and boundaries of the selected project sites developed.
- Documentation of biodiversity, socio-cultural beliefs and practices completed.
- Training on various aspects of ecotourism was successfully held.
- Ecotourism plans developed for the two project sites in consultation with the local authorities and communities.
- Exposure visits for 50 individuals to understand ecotourism packages conducted.
- Field maps and guides developed for both the sites.
- 10 huts made from local resources.
- Website for promoting local business developed.
- Brochures and other communication material distributed.
- Linkages with local and international tour operators and agencies developed.
Outcomes:
- Improved awareness on ecotourism and its advantages in both the project sites.
- Consensus amongst the communities on various aspects of ecotourism activities specific for their area.
- Successful establishment and management of the two ecotourism units in the project location.
- Improved biodiversity conservation efforts in the area and youth have a better understanding of the biodiversity in the region.
- Income of the trained youth increases by upto 25%.
- Ecotourism in the area increases by upto 20%.
Challenges in implementing this project
Like most projects the proposed project will be affected by certain external factors. These may arise due to political instability or climatic disturbances. Also certain assumptions related to project implementation have been made. These include availability of proper market channels, support from the local community and active participation of the local community. Climate related disasters and other natural disturbances are beyond the control of any of us and in case any such incident happens, we will ensure that the project deliverables are achieved once things come back to normalcy. The other risk factors associated with the project include:
Poor Participation of the local youth in developing eco-tourism livelihood opportunities- Considering the people are already engaged in other income generating activities, there are chances that many young individuals may not show interest in the project activities. To mitigate this risk we will ensure that during the awareness sessions and training sessions we discuss with them success case studies and stories of how ecotourism can support their livelihoods in a better way.
Not many tourists visit the location- It is quite likely that during the initial few years, not many tourists visit both the sites. This risk will be mitigated by exploring potential markets in the initial phase of project implementation. We will use digital marketing and will try to tie up with international tour operators. Also during the initial duration we will develop linkages with government offices to support the enterprise by organizing trips to the project sites. We shall also give special discounts initially to attract local tourists from nearby areas to visit the project site.
Voices of the most underprivileged are not taken into account during the project consultation and they are not selected as a beneficiary: To avoid any biases in the selection of beneficiaries, we will be using strict processes and protocols while selecting the beneficiaries and all other decision making activities.
Sustainability of the Project
The long-term sustainability of this project can be secured in the following two ways
- Developing linkages with both national and international tour operators.
- Using digital platforms to promote ecotourism and share stories across various social media platforms.
Considering our organization has a strong presence in the area we shall support and handhold the trained youth after the project duration.
The project has been developed in partnership and in full consultation with the local community, this will ensure that the community will take ownership in the project and will continue to support the intervention.
As the establishment of the enterprise will improve the income of the selected beneficiaries, they will continue to wholeheartedly support the enterprise.
Our organization has been working in the field of livelihood generation through nature based solutions over the last 12 years. We work with local communities in Malawi and help them to enhance their incomes through alternate livelihood options and diversification of their livelihoods. Also we have supported the Department of Forestry, Malawi in carrying out awareness on biodiversity conservation and community forestry in Malawi. We have experts in the field of biodiversity conservation, enterprise development and ecotourism. We are confident to successfully implement the proposed project on enhancing livelihood through ecotourism in both the project sites.
