Resource information
This study reviews Malawi's
policies in the biomass, rural electrification, and
non-biomass renewable energy sub-sectors to identify
problems and constraints to progress and to propose
policies, initiatives, and institutional structures to
overcome those problems and constraints. The main
recommendations of this report to the Government of Malawi
are as follows: 1) reform the present legislative and
regulatory framework to permit and encourage local
management of woodlands on a commercially viable and
environmentally sustainable basis, 2) devolve the exclusive
authority and responsibility for the exploitation and
management of forest cover other than that pertaining to the
gazetted forests (that is, forests that are assigned or
marked out by the government) to the local rural population.
3) Provide real incentives (including penalties, where
applicable) for private sector tree planting, in particular
on the tobacco estates. 4) apply a stumpage fee system to
achieve environmental (sustainable management) and energy
policy (efficient conversion and end use) objectives. 5)
create a regulatory and institutional framework within which
private sector initiatives and large-scale rural
electrification can proceed in a financially viable manner.
6) establish a mechanism for the provision of technical
assistance, promotion, and support in cases where off-grid
rural electrification is to be executed by the private
sector. 7) create a mechanism for the cofinancing of rural
electrification. 8) Create an enabling environment within
which the development and dissemination of non-biomass
renewable energy sources can be accelerated. 9) provide
fiscal relief (for example, remove import tariffs, and
provide preferential VAT treatment on renewable energy
technology systems and their components) and other
incentives for the use of renewable energy sources. And
finally, 10) Where cost-effective, promote the use of
renewable energy in rural electrification projects, and
specifically in government-sponsored rural social
investments in, for example, health and education.
