A Functional Landscape Approach to managing wetland social-ecological systems: Experiences from the Kankhulukulu project in Malawi

Across sub-Saharan Africa there is increasing dependency on wetland ecosystem services among poorer and vulnerable people in rural areas. The sustainable use of wetlands requires a social-ecological catchment wide management approach that balances livelihood needs with environmental sustainability. Wetland Action’s Functional Landscape Approach (FLA) seeks to build adaptive co-management arrangements in communities to enhance ecosystem services, people’s livelihoods, and climate change resilience. Between 2015 and 2018 the FLA was implemented in Kankhulukulu catchment, northern Malawi, as an action research project with the participation of 20+ households. The research found that the community successfully self-organised to develop soil and water conservation measures, innovative wetland and upland farming practices, knowledge exchange initiatives, improved finance and marketing, and community-based institutions. As a result, participants experienced significant gains in livelihood security that were underpinned by environmental enhancements and a more reslient social-ecological system.