UK, KAZA collaborate for biodiverse landscape

The Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) secretariat has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom at Westminster House in Gaborone to cooperate towards the regional application of the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF). The signing followed the approval of the agreement by the 14th KAZA TFCA ministerial meeting held on 17 October in Livingstone, Zambia. The UK was represented by British high commissioner to Botswana and special representative to SADC, Giles Enticknap, and the KAZA secretariat was represented by its executive director, Dr Nyambe Nyambe.The signing was attended by representatives from Botswana’s environment and tourism ministry and the Food Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) directorate of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) secretariat. The BLF is a £100 million UK official development assistance programme that aims to support developing countries to reduce poverty and tackle and adapt to climate change through protecting and restoring nature.Long-lasting protections The BLF is funding activities until 2030 in six of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots to help create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet.The BLF aims to restore landscapes and deliver their long-lasting protection through sustainable management practices, improving the quality of ecosystems and safeguarding biodiversity.In KAZA, the BLF will aim to create space for people and nature by deconflicting land use and restoring wildlife corridors to promote human-wildlife co-existence.“The BLF will use evidence and learning generated by previous Defra-funded work, which scoped the potential support needed in the region, particularly concerning efforts to combat wildlife crime," KAZA said in a statement.The statement said it also seeks to cement connectivity gains by creating climate-resilient food systems and implementing agroecology initiatives, such as capacity-building of smallholder farmers, conducting exchange visits between farmers, supporting farmers with input support and engagement with agro dealers, and linking farmers to markets.About the conservation area KAZA TFCA is a vast, unique conservation initiative spanning five southern African nations: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Established in 2011 through a multi-national treaty, KAZA is the largest terrestrial transfrontier conservation area in the world, covering approximately 520 000 square kilometres.It is home to an exceptional array of biodiversity, featuring the largest contiguous population of African savanna elephants, and supports large-scale wildlife migrations.

UK, KAZA collaborate for biodiverse landscape

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

Please login to leave a comment

UK, KAZA collaborate for biodiverse landscape

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

Please login to leave a comment

Login