The Department of Forestry was established in 1942, as the lead agency in the administration of the National Forest Policy and the Forestry Act in Malawi. They work under the Malawian Government's Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining as an agency established to plan and provide technical extension and guidance as well as facilitate forestry development on customary land and forest reserves. They promote the participation of all stakeholders in the sustainable management of Malawi’s natural resources.