Never-ending underfunding challenges choking wildlife conservation in Africa

Most protected areas (PAs) and protected area authorities in Southern Africa are underfunded and poorly-resourced, which is a hindering factor to achieving wildlife conservation in the region.

Dr. Alistair Pole, Senior Director of Project Management and Partnerships at African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) made the remarks on Wednesday during an Advanced Training on Environmental Journalism in the Modern Age currently underway in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Dr. Pole said, “PAs play an important role in conserving biodiversity and providing ecosystem services, yet their effectiveness is undermined by funding shortfalls. There is a need to bring in donor support to help save the suffering wildlife.

“We also need to start thinking about how we can successfully manage the human and wildlife conflict which remains a challenge in Southern Africa. This will help maintain and improve the wildlife population.”

He said AWF provides support to protected areas and authorities to better manage protected areas.

At the same time, he said, co-management agreements are increasingly becoming a tool to improve the management of PAs.

On his part, Public Relations Officer for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Tinashe Farawo said Zimbabwe does not get funding from the Central government.

“We need work to get money to pay salaries to authorities, to do law enforcement, anti-poaching. we do not just wait on the government, we are doing several conversation partnerships with Non-Government Organisationsuch as with AWF who help incapacitate our rangers and other needed resources,” he said.

Farawo said they have selected a few African parks to source resources to manage the park and care for the wildlife animals.

“I feel joint partnerships are a way to go for other countries to help our wildlife. You learn and get funding. Our vision as a country is that by 2025 we have a US 25 billion dollar tourism economy,” said Farawo.

Meanwhile, AWF Country Director Olivia Mufute said this is an area AWF has at heart and is working with the government, communities, and other institutions on the matter to ensure wildlife conservation success.

A recent AWF research shows that across the continent, national parks, reserves, and conservation areas have access to a meager total of US $381 million per year to safeguard lions and other wildlife.

A landmark analysis of 282 protected areas with lion populations pegs annual resource needs at a minimum of US $1000 - US $2000 per square kilometer.

The financial deficit facing Africa’s protected estate is staggering and urgent wildlife management authorities require approximately US $1.2 to $2.4 billion to adequately secure lions alone.