Hybridisation of mediated and indigenous communication systems proves effective in Malawi’s forest conservation efforts

Story by Olanrewaju Ogundeyi

A ground-breaking doctoral study by Dr Saizi Kimu from North-West University’s Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) Research Focus Area has called for a decolonised approach to environmental communication across Africa. Focusing on upland forest conservation, Dr Kimu’s study used a participatory development communication framework and drew from postcolonial and anthropological theories to explore how local communication strategies such as village criers, traditional face-to-face meetings, and folk performances can enhance community’s ecological conservation.

The study found that the blending of indigenous communication methods with mediated communication like radio, mobile phones, posters, and megaphones provided short-term forest conservation successes in all research sites. Their impacts were amplified when local adjudicative systems were used to resolve forest by-law cases at local level as it allows local people to participate in environmental protection. This hybrid approach enabled multidimensional horizontal deliberations among community members and extended upland forest conservation messages across community frontiers.

“Environmental communication needs to reflect the pluralism of knowledge systems,” said Dr Kimu. “We must move beyond top-down messaging and embrace local traditions which have been proven to be powerful tools for mobilising the community towards positive ecological behaviours.”

The author urged policy makers and environmental practitioners to shift from narrowly focussing on technical elements like number of tree nursery made or hectarage reforested. Instead, they should work with communities to co-develop policies that address the root causes of continued deforestation and provide actionable solutions tailored to local realities.

By embracing indigenous communication systems and participatory strategies, the study argued that Africa can lead in a more inclusive and effective model of environmental communication, one that is rooted in its own epistemic traditions.

Prof. Salawu & Dr. Kimu