Description:

We are pleased to release the third issue of the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Community Conservancy (CC) Project newsletter now covering the four countries where the CC model is being promoted within the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) landscape (Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe).

Under the SWM Programme, this new Project, funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and co-funded by the European Union (EU), is now almost halfway through its implementation. We are working together with communities across the Kavango-Zambezi (KaZa) region in North-East Namibia, Northern Botswana, Southern Zambia and Northern Zimbabwe promoting the CC model to achieve coexistence between people, livestock and wildlife in this biodiversity-rich landscape.

This includes several initiatives, such as building partnerships with the private sector, which redirect the flow of socio-economic benefits to local communities. This approach will also benefit conservation by reducing unsustainable hunting for wild meat and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. A strong network of CCs will enhance connectivity between habitats in the KaZa landscape and contribute to conservation efforts in this unique region.

We are proud to be partnering with Wild Entrust Africa (WEA) in Botswana, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Namibia, the Peace Parks Foundation and Wild Entrust in Zambia nd Zimbabwe, as well as with the respective Governments, to enhance synergies between wildlife conservation and community well-being.