USAID Applauds Community Conservancies of Zimbabwe

By Ilyana Sithole

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Janean Davis commended the critical milestones that have so far been achieved by community conservancies in Zimbabwe at the just-ended National Convention on Community Conservancies held in Harare, today, Thursday, October 30, 2024.

USAID Mission Director Janean Davis gave an impassioned keynote address during the National Convention on Community Conservancies, saluting some of the huge strides in wildlife conservation and community empowerment happening across Zimbabwe. Key stakeholders who attended the convention included government officials, private sector representatives, and community leaders, and shared vital discussions on the important role community conservancies play in the management of sustainable resources.

Davis immediately started her speech with greetings in the various local languages, setting a very warm connection with the diverse audience. She acknowledged the presence of the likes of Mr. Tendai Ruzvidzo, Deputy Director Wildlife and Forestry in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Management, representing the Hon. Minister Dr. Sithembiso G. G Nyoni, and Prof. Gandiwa who was standing in for Dr. Fulton Mangwanya, Director General of Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

Reflecting on experiences that have shaped her views, Davis now related a powerful story of one Tinevimbo Nhamoinesu, chairman of the Nyangambe Community Conservancy. Earlier this year, she met Nhamoinesu and a group of women who were trained as Fence Guardians; their passionate accounts brought forth how their work in conservation has economically empowered their community and instilled hope for a sustainable future.

She said, “Community conservancies, like Nyangambe, can only succeed in their goals through strategic partnerships with the private sector, government, and interested parties.” She noted that such partnerships help communities gain from their great wildlife and natural resources with a guarantee of their preservation for generations.

Davis placed the emergence of community conservancies in a historical perspective that goes back to the 1980. She related how CAMPFIRE was initiated during the early 1990s by identifying wildlife as a renewable resource with the principle of ownership by the community. USAID had been supportive of CAMPFIRE with close to $30 million allocated to just two major projects that helped extend CAMPFIRE’s scope and coverage for the country.

Today, that commitment to the sector sustains through the Resilience ANCHORS project by empowering local communities in managing natural resources effectively. By improving wildlife governance, training of community wildlife scouts, increasing private sector investment, promoting ecotourism, and ensuring human-wildlife conflict mitigation, the task is sustained.

Davis looked ahead with optimism at the proposed Parks and Wildlife Act Amendment Bill that might yield fresh opportunities for community conservancies. Hence, the Resilience ANCHORS project, in partnership with the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association, has commenced engaging key stakeholders to ensure that the communities are informed and may contribute to the legislative process.

The Mission Director reiterated in her closing remarks that the United States remains committed to the support of Zimbabwe’s community conservancies and sustainable resource management. “Together with our partners, we will continue to empower local communities, conserve biodiversity, and promote economic growth for a more resilient and prosperous Zimbabwe,” she said.

That puts the USAID Resilience ANCHORS project into the broader context of the U.S. commitment to Zimbabwe, with more than $5 billion in assistance provided since the country’s independence on ways to improve food security, economic resilience, and democratic governance.

With community conservancies now well established and prospering, such collaboration among the people of these local communities, their government, and other international partners offers the promise of a sustainable future regarding Zimbabwe’s rich natural heritage.