By Draxon Maloya

Mzuzu, Malawi – February 12, 2026: RAIPLY Malawi Limited has expressed satisfaction with the progress of its afforestation programme, announcing that it has planted 920 hectares out of a 1,200-hectare target since launching the exercise on 27th December 2025. 

The programme underscores how Raiply’s afforestation efforts not only replenish harvested and fire-damaged areas but also strengthen community resilience and national economic growth. 

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company’s Public Relations Officer, Dalitso Chimwala, said Raiply sets annual planting targets that take into account areas harvested and those damaged by wildfires. 

> “This year, the company is planting 1,000 hectares as the annual target, while 200 hectares are reserved for beating up—an exercise where dead seedlings planted in the previous year are replaced,” Chimwala explained. 

He added that the company follows strict planting standards to ensure sustainability. > “This ensures that the recommended plant population per hectare is maintained, which is 1,110 plants. This is reduced to 850 plants per hectare after thinning, which is done at six years old,” reads part of the statement. 

As part of its perennial practice, Raiply will next week begin distributing free seedlings to village woodlots, schools, churches, mosques, and elected leaders in Mzimba and Nkhata-Bay. 

> “It is planned that this will help create 58.6 hectares of community afforestation. The company started the free seedlings distribution exercise in 2020 to encourage reforestation,” the statement further noted. 

Raiply’s afforestation efforts contribute significantly to Malawi’s forestry sector, which accounts for approximately 6.1% of the national GDP when informal trade in wood fuel and charcoal is included. Official figures often reflect a lower number of around 1.8%, as they mainly capture formal sector sales. 

Key statistics on forestry’s role in Malawi’s economy include: 

– Energy Dependence: Over 94% of Malawians rely on wood fuel for cooking and heating. 

– Employment: The sector supports about 159,000 jobs, including 29,000 in forestry and 130,000 in the traded wood fuel sector. 

– Potential Growth: Better management of pine, eucalyptus, and cypress plantations could further stabilize the economy.