A Systematic Review of Biomass Energy Utilisation and Sustainable Forestry in Malawi,: An African Nexus Perspective

Malawi's energy sector is heavily dependent on biomass, primarily fuelwood and charcoal, placing significant pressure on forest resources. This reliance is a critical issue within the African food, water, and energy nexus, as it intersects with land use, agricultural productivity, and water security. This systematic literature review aimed to synthesise published research on biomass energy utilisation and associated forestry practices in Malawi. Its objectives were to analyse the scale and patterns of biomass consumption, evaluate documented impacts on forest sustainability, and identify reported management strategies within a nexus framework. A systematic search was conducted across multiple academic databases using predefined search strings. Identified studies were screened against inclusion criteria focusing on biomass energy and forestry in Malawi. Eligible studies were critically appraised, with data extracted and synthesised thematically. The review identified unsustainable biomass consumption as a predominant theme, with the vast majority of household energy derived from woodfuel. Studies consistently reported forest depletion and woodland degradation linked to this demand. Documented sustainable practices, such as community-based forest management, were found to be limited in scale and faced challenges including insecure land tenure and insufficient institutional support. The literature reveals a clear nexus conflict, where biomass energy demand directly drove forest resource depletion. This undermined ecological sustainability and had probable knock-on effects for food and water systems, although these specific interlinkages were under-explored in the reviewed research. Future policy must explicitly address the biomass-energy-forestry nexus through integrated resource planning. Research should prioritise longitudinal studies on intervention impacts and explore the gendered dimensions of biomass collection and use. Strengthening communal tenure rights and promoting scalable agroforestry models are critical. biomass energy, sustainable forestry, woodfuel, nexus approach, resource depletion, Malawi, energy policy, land tenure. This review consolidates evidence on a critical nexus issue in Malawi, clarifying the documented links between biomass energy demand and forest degradation. It highlights gaps in understanding cross-sectoral impacts and provides a synthesised basis for integrated policy and future research.