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FRIM’s research is organised around the following technical strategy areas (SA);
i. Indigenous Woodland Management (IWM)
ii. Trees on Farms (ToF)
iii. Plantations (P)
iv. Seed and Tree improvement (S&Ti)
Each SA comprises research programs with prioritised research projects that are reviewed and endorsed by the National Forestry Research Committee (NFRC) once every three years. Research activities under each SA are coordinated by a Strategy Area Coordinator (SAC) who is also responsible for compiling new proposals and annual reports. Project leaders (research scientists) are responsible for formulating proposals, carrying out project activities and producing technical reports. Each researcher in FRIM therefore may operate under several strategy areas covering a range of projects and may report through one or several SACs at the same time.
To increase stakeholder involvement in research planning, design and implementation, each SA has a Strategy Area Co-ordination Committee (SACC) composed of stakeholders (representatives of rural communities, end users, government departments, NGOs, private companies etc), and experts from various institutions in the country. SACCs monitor research progress and assist to plan future work and are mandated to meet biannually.
Indigenous
Woodland Management (IWM) Strategy Area
The purpose of the IWM strategy area is to secure sustainable management of Malawi’s indigenous woodlands in order to meet the present and future needs of ordinary rural people and to halt deforestation. Malawi is mostly covered by Miombo woodlands, which are poor in commercial timber species but provide many non-timber forest products (NTFP) and intangible benefits which underpin rural life in addition to providing variable service functions. Increased land pressure has resulted in extensive clearing and severe degradation of the miombo woodlands and repeated late burning has compounded the problem. It has long been appreciated that the miombo woodlands can not be effectively managed centrally. Devolution of control to communities is the way forward, but this implies enabling technical support, definition of limits and monitoring sustainable stewardship. The process is one of co-operation, rural communities must therefore receive benefits as quickly as possible without compromising sustainability
The
outputs of
the IWM Strategy Area are expected to be information and technologies
on
productivity of wood and non-wood products of indigenous woodlands,
ecology,
regeneration and establishment, management regimes and protection from
fire and
pests.
This SA has so far made significant achievements in investigating and providing general information on;
Trees
on
Farm (TOF)
The purpose of the TOF strategy area is to optimise productivity and sustainability of smallholder farming systems by (a) developing appropriate technologies for propagation, establishment and regeneration of trees on farms, (b) identifying and evaluating suitable woody species for incorporating into farming systems, (c) generating tree management techniques on farm and assessing productivity of such systems; and (d) providing a pest and disease control and monitoring service.
The outputs of this strategy are expected to be information and technologies on propagation of tree species; establishment methods; identification of species for various agro-ecological zones and /or farming systems; tree management and productivity in various farming systems and protection measures against insect pests and disease infections.
FRIM’s major focus and achievements have so far been on the development of improved management guidelines for existing traditional agroforestry practices, domestication of indigenous fruit trees for incorporation into smallholder farming systems and development of an integrated management schemes for key agroforestry pest species.
In the recent years, priority research activities under this SA have been on improving the supply of high quality propagation material, monitoring productivity and determining plantation stand dynamics, diversifying plantation species, monitoring and controlling of pests and diseases, investigating harvesting and wood utilisation.
Some of the notable achievements have been made on integrated management of conifer pests using biological control techniques, determination of productivity and ecosystem dynamics of plantations species and on determination of management techniques for selected indigenous fine hardwoods species under plantation systems.
The quality of seed used in tree planting is a critical factor in the success of achieving any tree planting program objectives. The purpose of this strategy area is thus “to optimise the quality of seed of both indigenous and exotic tree species for plantations and agroforestry programs in Malawi and to provide appropriate information on tree seeds”. To address this calls for a well-designed tree improvement and seed production and management program. The research focus so far has been on genetic improvement of important plantation and agroforestry tree species, establishment and management of seed production stands, identification and certification of in-situ seed collection areas for indigenous species and seed technology.
The outputs of the S&TI Strategy Area are expected to be availability of appropriate quantities of quality seed of species that are in demand; improved and well managed seed production areas; availability of information on use to the tree-growing public.
In the recent past, the S&TI Strategy Area has focused its activities and made significant achievements on establishment and management of seed orchards and other seed production areas; selection and testing of improved genetic material; investigating seed biology; investigating seed pretreatment methods; seed germination enhancement; seed storage and seed pest management.
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