In the heart of North Kivu, near the iconic Virunga National Park, Groupe Académia of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is bringing hope through beekeeping. Communities living here grow crops that require large areas of arable land. Their proximity to the national park means that human-elephant conflict is common, while the park is off limits for crop farming. Bees help to deter elephants and provide honey as a ‘crop’ needing no extra land – a win-win solution!
Basket weaving is an integral part of the culture of local communities in living on the banks of the Okavango River, particularly among the Hambukushu and Wayeyi tribes. This rich tradition has been passed down through generations, preserving not only cultural heritage but also the intricate skills involved. In recent years, due to economic and livelihood challenges, basket weaving has evolved into a sought-after art form, captivating tourists who flock to the Okavango Delta. Each visitor desires to take home a piece of this craftsmanship, making basket weaving a significant economic lifeline for these communities.
Communities in Botswana are looking to grow their hunting market and therefore jumped at the chance to send two representatives to the Dortmund Jagd & Hund hunting exhibition in Germany. As guests of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), they joined the Botswana and Zimbabwean Ambassadors to Germany to discuss the role of hunting in African conservation.
Crop farmers living around Kasungu National Park now pay five times as much for a bag of synthetic fertiliser than they did five years ago. COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war packed a combined punch that have left Malawians reeling. Their small fields that used to yield enough to feed the family and pay the bills are no longer productive, as soil fertility declines and rainy seasons shorten due to climate change.
The long-term use of synthetic fertiliser also carries an environmental cost, as it pollutes sources of drinking water and damages soil health. As their environment becomes increasingly hostile to life, desperate people start finding other means of survival. Those near the park will be tempted to hunt or cut down trees illegally, or extend their crop fields into the park by clearing away natural vegetation.
Maria is a widow living on the edge of Kasungu National Park in Malawi. After her husband passed away, she was left with five children – two still in school – and only two acres of farmland. Maria’s life has been a daily battle against poverty, as she struggled to clothe and feed her children.
Out of desperation, Maria often ventured into the nearby national park in search of firewood and thatch grass to sell. This put her at risk of harassment from park rangers and attacks by wild animals, but she felt that she had little choice.
Towns and villages within the Cubango/Okavango Basin in Angola are developing quickly, but is this sustainable? The concept of sustainable development involves using natural resources in a way that promotes social, economic and cultural development for present and future generations.
For the communities in the Cubango/Okavango River Basin, sustainable development that tangibly improves their lives is essential. If their current needs and perspectives are ignored, it is in vain to talk about managing and conserving resources for the future.
The Zimbabwean government recently announced its intention to cull 200 of its 95,000 elephants to feed its people. Communities living with elephants in the country consider this to be step in the right direction.
As a member of one of the communities living alongside elephants, I warmly welcomed this strategy. During a drought, conflict with elephants increases – they damage crops and leave people without anything to feed their families. This cull will also provide an important source of meat for people who are struggling to survive.
The Academia Group of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) organised two major events during the second half of 2024 to raise environmental awareness. The first activity was organised around International Youth Day on the 12th of August, which was used to remind young people that the future of humanity rests on their shoulders. The second activity was dedicated to National Tree Day on the 10th of October, which was designed to highlight the role of trees and their relationship with all ecosystems, and to draw attention to the urgent need for action on climate change and the need for sustainable development in our country.
Placing communities at the heart of conservation efforts involves not only acknowledging their role as guardians of biodiversity but also recognising them as active participants in conservation initiatives.
In Mozambique, where communities reside in and around all protected areas—covering 25% of the country’s territory—community engagement is critical for supporting the implementation of management plans and enhancing benefit-sharing. For this engagement to succeed, communities must be properly identified, organised, and recognised as institutional partners capable of collaboration.
Viewed from space, the world-famous Okavango Delta looks like a large pan attached to a handle – the Okavango River. The ‘pan-handle’ area includes villages along the western and eastern banks of the river – those on the west are located near a tar road that connects Namibia with northern Botswana. Those on the east have a dirt road that connects with the west over one river crossing, which until very recently (a bridge built in 2022) involved crossing the Okavango River using a pontoon.