Conservation policy and the campfire programme in Zimbabwe

Over the past few decades the term "conservancy" has gained increasing usage in Southern Africa and elsewhere. In Zimbabwe the term ha© generally been applied to wildlife and habitat management units on private land and as the size and number of these units has expanded calls for a "conservancy policy" have arisen. Focused as they are on commercial farm land, such calls could be held to have little direct relevance for the CAMPFIRE Programme and its operations in communal land. Such a view would however be myopic if not careless. A poorly conceived conservancy policy and cognate legislation could impact negatively on the CAMPFIRE Programme Conversely, the conservancy concept, properly designed and articulated in policy and practice, has the potential to enhance the success of CAMPFIRE. This discussion paper looks at conservancy policy from the perspective of the Rural District Council (RDC) and communal farmer interests, exploring some of the issues involved and making suggestions on processes which can capitalise on the potential of the concept to benefit CAMPFIRE'S constituency.

A position paper on wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe with sustainable participation of rural communities.