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The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched its inaugural Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Wildlife Managers and Rangers Training Programme in Mozambique, in a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing wildlife protection and improving the management of protected areas across Southern Africa.
The pilot programme, being hosted at Maputo National Park from July 1 to 14, brings together senior wildlife managers and rangers from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with a focus on building leadership, management and operational skills to improve conservation outcomes within the region’s Transfrontier Conservation Areas.
The programme was officially opened by a representative of Mozambique’s Administração Nacional das Áreas de Conservação (ANAC).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, SADC Secretariat Senior Programme Officer for Natural Resources and Wildlife, Ms Ndapanda Kanime, described the initiative as a major step towards strengthening the region’s conservation efforts through investment in human capital.
“This training programme is a strategic investment in people and collaboration,” she said.
“It will equip wildlife managers and rangers with the leadership, technical competencies and practical skills required to safeguard the region’s globally significant natural resources.”
Ms Kanime said the pilot programme would serve as a foundation for the expansion of similar training initiatives across other Transfrontier Conservation Areas within the SADC region.
“We are confident that the lessons learned from this pilot initiative will inform the rollout of similar programmes across other SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas, further strengthening regional cooperation and improving the management of our shared natural heritage,” she said.
The training is being delivered by the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) and supports protected area management in Maputo National Park within the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, as well as Banhine, Limpopo and Zinave national parks in Mozambique and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe.
The programme is expected to enhance coordination among conservation authorities responsible for managing ecosystems that extend beyond national borders.
Senior rangers from Mozambique’s Banhine, Zinave, Limpopo and Maputo national parks, together with counterparts from Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park, are participating in the 14-day Protected Area Management Coordinator (PAMCO) Training.
The intensive course is designed to strengthen leadership, management and operational capabilities, enabling participants to effectively lead ranger teams while improving biodiversity conservation and protected area management.
The SADC Secretariat said the initiative underscores the regional bloc’s commitment to promoting sustainable management of shared natural resources through strengthened institutional capacity and cross-border collaboration.
It also expressed appreciation to the Government of Germany for funding the programme and acknowledged the support provided by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the International union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Mozambique’s Administração Nacional das Áreas de Conservação (ANAC), the Peace Parks Foundation and the Southern African Wildlife College.
“The Secretariat commends the Southern African Wildlife College for its leadership and technical expertise in delivering this pilot programme,” Ms Kanime said.
The training comes at a time when SADC member states are intensifying efforts to combat wildlife crime, strengthen biodiversity conservation and improve the management of transboundary conservation landscapes, which play a critical role in protecting wildlife populations while supporting tourism and sustainable livelihoods across the region.
