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Minister Nhema said experience had shown that there was a tendency of over-exploitation and focus on deriving maximum benefits at the expense of conservation.
“Veld fires are overwhelming and this obviously poses a threat to the ecosystem hence the need to protect nature and wildlife.
“Poaching is rampant and this is a threat to our wildlife populations,” he said.
He said the specific threats to Zimbabwe’s wildlife populations varied from region to region and some of these threats were motivated by economic hardships and commercial gain through organised syndicates.
“In other cases, conflict is caused by competing economic interests, such as increased mining activities in areas originally designated as wildlife habitats, hence the need to review some of the acts enacted before independence.”
He said as Government, their policy was to encourage broad participation of local people in all areas of economic activity including management and exploitation of wildlife as a resource.
“The key objective is to reduce foreign capital domination and infuse it with domestic capital in a sustainable manner.
“However in carrying out these programmes, there is need for a well thought out framework which would benefit future generations; for example the issue of roles of communities, individuals and their obligations, code of conduct and adherence to best practice should be clearly outlined from the onset,” Minister Nhema said.
He said the Campfire project was a living testimony of the commitment by the Government to ensure that communities which live alongside wildlife enjoy maximum benefits from their natural resources.
“The success of the programme was attributed to the harmony that existed between the Government and all stakeholders and as a result of the harmony we now stand up proud, as mentors and source of inspiration to others in the region.”
“There is need for the separation of the roles and functions of community-based institutions so that potential conflicts are reduced,” Minister Nhema said.
Minister Nhema said Government in the region had come up with the Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCAs) initiatives which are still in progress to help support growth and effective use of natural resources.
TFCA is an area or the component of a large ecological region that straddles the boundaries of two or more countries which may encompass one or more protected areas as well as multiple resource use.
“The fundamental objective of TFCAs is to attain landscape-level conservation of healthy ecosystems while capitalising on those shared assets to improve the quality of life for communities living within and around a particular TFCA,” he said.
He encouraged local people to work together in the conservation and protection of wildlife and other natural resources for the benefit of the whole country.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter