APPENDIX III: Key informant responses from community leaders representing
forestry/natural resource management institutions

T1: Loss of any staff/member to death in the last year

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Yes

No

Acting Village Headman

No committee member died

Greenline Movement

6 members of staff (2 ladies, 4 men) in all; 1 male member in 40s

DFO FA

Several, more than 10; ¾ males with average age of 20 - 40 years (patrol men)

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

None of the committee members died but six people died in the village

DFO - Acting DFO (STO)

Yes, two members died

GVH Ng'onomo

Yes, 14 people died in 11villages under his charge but not committee members

Brian Quinn

Could not remember any death among the Co-management committee members, but there were deaths for other village members

VH Mnyamazi

Eight people died, most of them being adults but not committee members

T2: Trend in deaths from the previous years

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Increasing

The same

Acting Village Headman

Not increased

Greenline Movement

No deaths

DFO FA

Deaths increasing (plantations people have money to spend on women and therefore easily contract HIV/Aids)

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

Not increased for committee members but the number increased by two for other villagers

DFO -Acting DFO (STO)

Increased by one; three staff members died

GVH Ng'onomo

Not for committee members; however, number increased among villagers though could not recall the exact number of people who died the previous year

Brian Quinn

Not increased

VH Mnyamazi

Not increased except for other villagers

T3: Loss of time to illness by staff/member

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Loss of time

Acting Village
Headman

Yes, mostly sicknesses concerning their children, spouses and relatives, even themselves when they fall sick

Greenline Movement

Production declines; overloading remaining staff now that the other member of staff is sick

DFO FA

Yes; wasted time as they spend time suffering without going to work, and spending time caring for the sick

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

A lot of time is lost, committee members have to attend funerals and attend to sick relatives.

DFO - Acting DFO
(STO)

A lot of time lost visiting the sick and also when they are incapacitated through the sickness. On average a period of six months is lost.

GVH Ng'onomo

A lot of time is lost during illness as well as during funerals. As a result of this, the period of funeral or mourning has been reduced from one week to one day to reduce further loss of time.

Brian Quinn

A lot of time is lost because people fail to turn up for meetings because of illnesses and funerals.

VH Mnyamazi

A lot of time is lost hence a reduction of funeral period to one day.

T4: Impact of loss of time on the activities of the Department/or village committee

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Negative impact

Acting Village Headman

The participation of a particular member is limited

Greenline Movement

Slows down production; also, beneficiaries (communities) do not get enough services.

DFO FA

Loss of revenue, if a patrolman/guard is sick the people will go and exploit the plantation because they know he cannot come to work; the control mechanism is not there; no adequate patrols, extension services not adequately given to the people; production goes down both administratively and technically (when a project comes, it should come with HIV/AIDS programme - sensitization of Aids; projects like Wood Energy, Miombo, UNHCR and EU have lost people)

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

Low participation of forestry activities. Meetings are postponed several times

DFO - Acting DFO (STO)

Production goes down in a number of ways: (i) a lot of illegal activities take place in an area where the patrol staff is ill or has died; (ii) loss of trained and experienced staff and hence extension services are not rendered; (iii) loss of revenue because most of the staff are involved in revenue collection.

GVH Ng'onomo

Poor attendance for development meetings and activities. Some people take advantage of not participating in development activities, pretending they are attending funerals

Brian Quinn

As explained above

VH Mnyamazi

As explained above

T5: How loss of time to illness affects the use of resources

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Negatively

Acting Village Headman

Resources are now channelled into a fund that is supposed to look into the issue of sickness and death

Greenline Movement

Resources are used to retrain staff; used on unbudgeted items such as coffins, transport. These are not recognized by donors (communities regard the organization as a company, hence such unexpected expenditure has to be incurred to maintain good relationship (this is a politically sensitive district)

DFO FA

Planned activities are not achieved; instead of using resources for field work, the funds are used for sickness and deaths (coffins and fuel)

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

A lot of firewood is used, such that a full ox cart can be used for the funeral of an elderly person. This depletes the available dry firewood, leading to cutting down live trees for firewood. A lot of food is used during illness and funeral. Timber is also used to make coffins (8-10 planks are used for an adult person, costing about Mk800). A lot of medicinal plants are used in the case of a long illness.

DFO - Acting DFO (STO)

Loss of resources such as fuel to transport the dead body and family of the deceased. Time and financial resource lost for processing death gratuity of the deceased.

GVH Ng'onomo

A lot of firewood (full ox cart) is used, leading to depletion of forest resources. Livestock such as chickens, goats and even cattle are slaughtered. Use of timber for the coffin.

VH Mnyamazi

Contribution of money (Mk20) by every household, hence depleting the needed cash; purchase of coffin (about Mk700), but others use coffins made of reeds or palms. Contribution of food; use of firewood collected from the forest reserve and surrounding homestead forests; slaughtering livestock instead of being sold for productive activities.

T6: How loss of time to illness affects the ability of the Department or committee to carry out planned duties

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Acting Village Headman

Planned activities are delayed because active participation is not there

Greenline Movement

Staff gets overworked within the Department, sometimes doing small jobs, which could have been done by junior staff. Planned activities are affected.

DFO FA

Planned activities are delayed or not even carried out because the money is used for other things

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

Postponement of planned activities, leading to hurried implementation of activities. Other committee members are also overworked.

DFO -Acting DFO (STO)

Targets are not achieved. The remaining staff members are overloaded with activities and responsibilities.

Brian Quinn

The committee fails to carry out planned activities according to the time schedule.

VH Mnyamazi

Planned activities are postponed, disturbing other programmes.

T7: Length of time taken to fill vacant posts

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Immediate

Delayed

Acting Village Headman

A very short time before a post is filled

Greenline Movement

Vacant posts are filled immediately, normally less than a month

DFO FA

Not immediately filled due to Govt. procedures which take a long time

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

DFO -Acting DFO (STO)

Vacant posts are not filled

VH Mnyamazi

The two members of VFA committees who died were replaced two months later. They were trained on the job by old members

T8: HIV/AIDS programmes in place in the Department, e.g. awareness programs.

Response

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Programmes available

Not available

Acting Village Headman

Health, home-based care and nursery school for orphans; HIV/AIDS Drama Club for awareness programme

Greenline Movement

Sensitisation programmes for members of staff (condoms dispensed free of charge);work with orphans (vegetable seeds are issued)

DFO FA

Nothing available

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

No organization exists. People get messages through the MBC, the local MP and councillors

DFO -Acting DFO (STO)

Senior members have, however, been sensitized by the Ministries of Health and Population Services and Gender, but the message has not trickled down to the junior members of staff.

No programmes exist within the Department

GVH Ng'onomo

There is a committee operating at GVH level and members are drawn from each of the eleven villages. The committee organizes drama on HIV/AIDS. Another committee exists at TA level and it monitors the activities of the committee.

Brian Quinn

There is HIV/AIDS awareness group by the Catholic Mission; Brian also works with women's groups such as Kayuni, Umodzi, Chimwemwe and Kaphopho. He also does man-to-man delivery of messages

VH Mnyamazi

There is a committee based at GHV, which disseminates messages in the surrounding villages, but no village level committee exists.

T9: Knowledge of any funds allocated specifically for HIV/AIDS programmes

Knowledge of funds available

Community Leaders (Machinga)

Not available

Available

Acting Village Headman

No knowledge; simply because the Drama Club started on a voluntary basis

Greenline Movement

No funds for the moment but plans are under way to mainstream the programme, OXFAM promised to fund the programme (chicken rearing (early layers); starter-pack funds can be included)

DFO FA

No funds

Community Leaders (Kasungu)

VH Zithani

None.

DFO -Acting DFO (STO)

No funding

GVH Ng'onomo

No funding exists at the GVH, but members work voluntarily. At TA level, committee members were provided with bicycles.

Out of all the organizations working in the area, it is only Plan International that has mainstreamed HIV/AIDS activities.

Brian Quinn

No special funds but he uses part of his own financial resources to sustain the women's groups.

VH Mnyamazi

No funding


	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Yes	No
Acting Village Headman		No committee member died
Greenline Movement	6 members of staff (2 ladies, 4 men) in all; 1 male member in 40s
DFO FA	Several, more than 10; ¾ males with average age of 20 - 40 years (patrol men)
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani		None of the committee members died but six people died in the village
DFO - Acting DFO (STO)	Yes, two members died
GVH Ng'onomo		Yes, 14 people died in 11villages under his charge but not committee members
Brian Quinn		Could not remember any death among the Co-management committee members, but there were deaths for other village members
VH Mnyamazi		Eight people died, most of them being adults but not committee members


	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Increasing	The same
Acting Village Headman		Not increased
Greenline Movement		No deaths
DFO FA	Deaths increasing (plantations people have money to spend on women and therefore easily contract HIV/Aids)
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani		Not increased for committee members but the number increased by two for other villagers
DFO -Acting DFO (STO)	Increased by one; three staff members died
GVH Ng'onomo		Not for committee members; however, number increased among villagers though could not recall the exact number of people who died the previous year
Brian Quinn		Not increased
VH Mnyamazi		Not increased except for other villagers

	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Loss of time
Acting Village Headman	Yes, mostly sicknesses concerning their children, spouses and relatives, even themselves when they fall sick
Greenline Movement	Production declines; overloading remaining staff now that the other member of staff is sick
DFO FA	Yes; wasted time as they spend time suffering without going to work, and spending time caring for the sick
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani	A lot of time is lost, committee members have to attend funerals and attend to sick relatives.
DFO - Acting DFO (STO)	A lot of time lost visiting the sick and also when they are incapacitated through the sickness. On average a period of six months is lost.
GVH Ng'onomo	A lot of time is lost during illness as well as during funerals. As a result of this, the period of funeral or mourning has been reduced from one week to one day to reduce further loss of time.
Brian Quinn	A lot of time is lost because people fail to turn up for meetings because of illnesses and funerals.
VH Mnyamazi	A lot of time is lost hence a reduction of funeral period to one day.

	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Negative impact
Acting Village Headman	The participation of a particular member is limited
Greenline Movement	Slows down production; also, beneficiaries (communities) do not get enough services.
DFO FA	Loss of revenue, if a patrolman/guard is sick the people will go and exploit the plantation because they know he cannot come to work; the control mechanism is not there; no adequate patrols, extension services not adequately given to the people; production goes down both administratively and technically (when a project comes, it should come with HIV/AIDS programme - sensitization of Aids; projects like Wood Energy, Miombo, UNHCR and EU have lost people)
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani	Low participation of forestry activities. Meetings are postponed several times
DFO - Acting DFO (STO)	Production goes down in a number of ways: (i) a lot of illegal activities take place in an area where the patrol staff is ill or has died; (ii) loss of trained and experienced staff and hence extension services are not rendered; (iii) loss of revenue because most of the staff are involved in revenue collection.
GVH Ng'onomo	Poor attendance for development meetings and activities. Some people take advantage of not participating in development activities, pretending they are attending funerals
Brian Quinn	As explained above
VH Mnyamazi	As explained above

	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Negatively
Acting Village Headman	Resources are now channelled into a fund that is supposed to look into the issue of sickness and death
Greenline Movement	Resources are used to retrain staff; used on unbudgeted items such as coffins, transport. These are not recognized by donors (communities regard the organization as a company, hence such unexpected expenditure has to be incurred to maintain good relationship (this is a politically sensitive district)
DFO FA	Planned activities are not achieved; instead of using resources for field work, the funds are used for sickness and deaths (coffins and fuel)
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani	A lot of firewood is used, such that a full ox cart can be used for the funeral of an elderly person. This depletes the available dry firewood, leading to cutting down live trees for firewood. A lot of food is used during illness and funeral. Timber is also used to make coffins (8-10 planks are used for an adult person, costing about Mk800). A lot of medicinal plants are used in the case of a long illness.
DFO - Acting DFO (STO)	Loss of resources such as fuel to transport the dead body and family of the deceased. Time and financial resource lost for processing death gratuity of the deceased.
GVH Ng'onomo	A lot of firewood (full ox cart) is used, leading to depletion of forest resources. Livestock such as chickens, goats and even cattle are slaughtered. Use of timber for the coffin.
VH Mnyamazi	Contribution of money (Mk20) by every household, hence depleting the needed cash; purchase of coffin (about Mk700), but others use coffins made of reeds or palms. Contribution of food; use of firewood collected from the forest reserve and surrounding homestead forests; slaughtering livestock instead of being sold for productive activities.

Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani	Postponement of planned activities, leading to hurried implementation of activities. Other committee members are also overworked.
DFO -Acting DFO (STO)	Targets are not achieved. The remaining staff members are overloaded with activities and responsibilities.
Brian Quinn	The committee fails to carry out planned activities according to the time schedule.
VH Mnyamazi	Planned activities are postponed, disturbing other programmes.


	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Immediate	Delayed
Acting Village Headman	A very short time before a post is filled
Greenline Movement	Vacant posts are filled immediately, normally less than a month
DFO FA		Not immediately filled due to Govt. procedures which take a long time
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
DFO -Acting DFO (STO)		Vacant posts are not filled
VH Mnyamazi		The two members of VFA committees who died were replaced two months later. They were trained on the job by old members


	Response
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Programmes available	Not available
Acting Village Headman	Health, home-based care and nursery school for orphans; HIV/AIDS Drama Club for awareness programme
Greenline Movement	Sensitisation programmes for members of staff (condoms dispensed free of charge);work with orphans (vegetable seeds are issued)
DFO FA		Nothing available
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani		No organization exists. People get messages through the MBC, the local MP and councillors
DFO -Acting DFO (STO)	Senior members have, however, been sensitized by the Ministries of Health and Population Services and Gender, but the message has not trickled down to the junior members of staff.	No programmes exist within the Department
GVH Ng'onomo	There is a committee operating at GVH level and members are drawn from each of the eleven villages. The committee organizes drama on HIV/AIDS. Another committee exists at TA level and it monitors the activities of the committee.
Brian Quinn	There is HIV/AIDS awareness group by the Catholic Mission; Brian also works with women's groups such as Kayuni, Umodzi, Chimwemwe and Kaphopho. He also does man-to-man delivery of messages
VH Mnyamazi	There is a committee based at GHV, which disseminates messages in the surrounding villages, but no village level committee exists.


	Knowledge of funds available
Community Leaders (Machinga)	Not available	Available
Acting Village Headman	No knowledge; simply because the Drama Club started on a voluntary basis
Greenline Movement	No funds for the moment but plans are under way to mainstream the programme, OXFAM promised to fund the programme (chicken rearing (early layers); starter-pack funds can be included)
DFO FA	No funds
Community Leaders (Kasungu)
VH Zithani	None.
DFO -Acting DFO (STO)	No funding
GVH Ng'onomo	No funding exists at the GVH, but members work voluntarily. At TA level, committee members were provided with bicycles.	Out of all the organizations working in the area, it is only Plan International that has mainstreamed HIV/AIDS activities.
Brian Quinn	No special funds but he uses part of his own financial resources to sustain the women's groups.
VH Mnyamazi	No funding

APPENDIX III: Key informant responses from community leaders representing forestry/natural resource management institutions

APPENDIX III: Key informant responses from community leaders representing
forestry/natural resource management institutions