Temwa Carbon Balance – 2026 Update
Through Temwa Carbon Balance, individuals and organizations can take meaningful climate action by offsetting their CO₂ emissions through planting trees, protecting existing forests and supporting forest friendly livelihoods in Malawi.
In Nkhata Bay North, 90% of households depend on subsistence farming, and 58% live below the national poverty line. As climate shocks intensify - unreliable rains, droughts and floods lead to deterioration of soil conditions and compromise food production. Temwa’s programmes aim to restore degraded landscapes while supporting communities to build long-term resilience through improved farming techniques, tree planting and diversified income opportunities.
Temwa’s Carbon Balance Scheme has been working with communities in Nkhata Bay North to grow trees from locally managed nurseries into resilient woodlots, school orchards and protected natural forests, while building forest‑friendly income streams such as beekeeping that make standing forests more valuable than felled ones.
Since 2020, Temwa has successfully planted 180,475 trees, taking the total number of trees planted by Temwa to 1.8 million over the last 20 years.
Our latest report gives more detail on our progress over the last year – below we highlight Adams’ experience.
In Mukhoza, Adams decided to integrate beekeeping into his family's woodlot and set in motion a model that is now strengthening both livelihoods and forest health across his community.
Adams began by installing 11 beehives. He maintained the undergrowth, kept firebreaks clear, and ensured the environment was ideal for both bees and trees to thrive. Within a year, he had harvested 33 kilograms of honey.
He sold 20 kg for MK 150,000 (£65), income he immediately reinvested into three additional hives. The remaining honey he saved for his family’s nutrition and for future sales when market prices rise.
Adams’s experience reveals a powerful shift: When a woodlot reliably produces honey it becomes an asset to protect, not merely timber to cut when money is tight.
This mindset has taken root in nearby villages such as Kanolo and Jembe, where beekeeping has rapidly expanded.
