Determination of the status of stakeholder participation in the management of the Lake Malawi basin through application of Integrated Lake Basin Management

摘要

Lake Malawi is the southernmost of the Great Rift Valley Lakes of Africa and boasts the world's greatest freshwater fish biodiversity. Along with its basin, the lake provides many benefits to the country of Malawi. Settlements, agriculture and fishing are some of the major uses of the lake basin, making community involvement a necessary component of its management. With the use of key informant interviews, questionnaire survey, document review and site observations, this study demonstrates the applicability of the Integrated Lake Basin Management framework in the Lake Malawi Basin in regard to stakeholder participation. The main objective was to assess the participation of stakeholders, especially local communities, in the management of the lake basin. The framework applied in this study is discussed. The study findings indicate strong to very strong stakeholder participation, with notably high levels of awareness and women's involvement. Enhancing the understanding of the complex nature of lake basin issues, especially those related to the linkages between the water body and the basin, is a topic requiring further attention.