The overall objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between HIV/AIDS, land holding and land use. The methodology employed is summarised below:
3.1 Desk Research
The field research was preceded by desk research. This was intended to ascertain existing knowledge regarding the prevailing land situation and issues as well as the trends and statistics relating to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Another aspect of the desk review was the review of the land policy framework.
3.2 Community Research
The community research component was intended to provide an overview of how HIV/AIDS affects land access, utilisation, and control, with particular attention to vulnerable groups. Emphasis was placed on the changing situation confronted by people themselves living with HIV, and those affected by illness and death of others (in particular, women, young people, and the elderly). Special focus was also placed on understanding implications in the various stages of HIV/AIDS, including onset of illnesses, chronic and severe illness, and the period after death.
The field research was undertaken in three communities with people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. The communities were:
| Namatingwi village: |
located in Mulanje District in the southern region |
| Kapida village: |
located in Dowa District in the central region |
| Yaphama village: |
located in Rumphi District in the northern region |
A uniform methodology was employed in all three communities. The approach used involved an initial community meeting, followed the next day by focus group discussion, and individual in-depth interviews to derive illustrative case studies.
3.3 Impacts of HIV/AIDS Inside Land Institutions at District and National Levels
The study conducted semi-structured interviews in key institutions that deal with land access and utilisation at district level and at national level. At both district and national levels, emphasis was on four broad questions:
- How HIV/AIDS was affecting the organisation’s internal capacity and ability to achieve its objectives (for example, in terms of absenteeism, productivity, direct financial costs, staff turnover and hiring, levels of experience and quality of work)
- How HIV/AIDS in communities influences the way the organisation works?
- How if at all the organisation addresses HIV/AIDS, both internally and in its programming
- Based on day-to-day experiences in the field, how the prevailing policy environment affects the ability of AIDS-affected people to access and use land productively
3.4 Land Policy Reassessment in Light of Field Research
Following the desk study and the fieldwork and thus based on a better understanding of the practical impacts of HIV/AIDS on land access and use, and on the capacity of land institutions in the three regions of Malawi, the team reassessed the policy framework, identifying specific strengths and weaknesses in the policy framework. The team sought to develop specific recommendations on how land policy could better serve the needs of people badly affected by HIV/AIDS, bearing in mind the impacts of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the capacity of land institutions.
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