Government moves to tackle human-wildlife conflict through national strategy

GOVERNMENT has launched the process of developing a National Human-Wildlife Coexistence Strategy aimed at strengthening coordination, improving responses to human-wildlife conflict and protecting both communities and the country’s rich wildlife heritage.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, through its parastatal, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), is spearheading the initiative in partnership with conservation organisations and other key stakeholders.

A three-day strategy formulation workshop, which started on Tuesday in Harare, has brought together about 120 participants drawn from Government departments, conservation partners, traditional leaders, academia, the private sector and communities affected by human-wildlife conflict.

The workshop is reviewing existing interventions, sharing experiences from affected communities and developing practical, people-centred solutions to one of Zimbabwe’s most pressing conservation challenges.

“Human-wildlife conflict continues to threaten livelihoods, food security and biodiversity across the country, with communities living near protected areas frequently experiencing crop destruction, livestock losses and, in some cases, fatal attacks by wild animals,” said the Ministry in a statement posted on its official X account.

The proposed National Human-Wildlife Coexistence Strategy seeks to move Zimbabwe away from fragmented and reactive responses towards a coordinated, evidence-based approach to managing human-wildlife conflict.

According to the Ministry, the strategy will establish key pillars for coexistence, clearly define the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders and provide a five-year implementation framework.

The initiative comes at a time when communities living near wildlife areas continue to face increasing encounters with wild animals, resulting in loss of life, destruction of crops and damage to property and livestock.

The Ministry said involving affected communities in developing the strategy reflects the principle that successful coexistence can only be achieved through shared responsibility and collective action among Government, communities and conservation partners.

Through dialogue, evidence-based planning and strengthened partnerships, Government hopes the strategy will contribute to safer communities, better protected wildlife populations and sustainable conservation in line with the country’s Vision 2030 aspirations.