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Fidelis Munyoro recently in Binga
CAPACITY building for communities on the management of natural resources, livestock and wildlife has gained impetus in the three Binga wards hosting Mucheni Community Conservancy following the training of 18 natural resources monitors.
The 18, 12 men and six women, underwent 21 days of basic training at Mushandike College of Wildlife.
They are now helping their communities in the conservation of wildlife and natural resources in the 70 square kilometre Mucheni Community Conservancy that covers Sinampande, Sinansengwe and Sinakoma wards
Each of the three Wards have six of the natural resources monitors.
In an interview during a media tour to the massive project, yet to be commissioned, Mr Peter Detroit Mdenda said since their return from training last September the crack-team has arrested 12 poachers.
“As resources monitors we have a huge task on our shoulders which we carry out with tremendous enthusiasm,” he said.
“We have a task to sensitise our communities on the importance of natural resources particularly the economic benefits derived from the sustainable use of wildlife and natural resources in their communities that forms the bedrock of their subsistence.”
Foot-patrols in the area were bearing fruit as wanton cutting of trees, along with sand and wildlife poaching has declined with awareness campaigns against illegal hunting and other activities detrimental to the natural resources also yielding results.
His colleague Chipo Munsaka said the crack-team is now implanting the skills they acquired at training to ensure that the local communities appreciate how important it is to protect their resources and prevent them from extinction.
“Deforestation is now a thing of the past as most people now appreciate the significance of trees in their lives,” she said.
“We are also moving around our communities educating people about the need to always create fire guards to deal with veld fires among other several intervention measures in our effort to preserve our ecosystem in our communities.”
Sinakoma ward councillor Mr Naison Mugande applauded the sustainable wildlife management programme for giving the communities hope in the revival of dwindling wildlife and livestock in the area.”
The programme was offering the communities incredible support to ensure that the concept of community conservancies is a success.
“We are being empowered with ownership of our own natural resources as communities and if we conserve our animals the future generation will enjoy tangible long terms benefit of sustainable use of our natural resources,” said Mr Mugande.
The programme is developing innovative solutions based on field projects in several countries funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French Facility for Global Environment.
It is being implemented by a dynamic consortium of four partners with expertise in wild life conservation and food security.
Online Reporter