Fostering Community Stewardship of Nature: Balancing Community Livelihoods and Biodiversity Conservation in Chimanimani KBA, Zimbabwe
Solution complète
Community Bee Apiary in one of the beneficiary communities in Chimanimani
Shingirai Sakarombe
The Chimanimani Mountains KBA is found in Eastern Zimbabwe. It is one of the biodiversity rich areas of the country and is home to numerous endemic and threatened plants and bird species. Like many in Southern Africa, Chimanimani is faced with escalating threats from deforestation, fires and cyclones, endangering its rich biodiversity. A collaborative project by BirdLife Zimbabwe (BLZ) and TSURO Trust was aimed to address some of these challenges by balancing conservation needs and community livelihoods thereby fostering a connection between people and biodiversity. Targeting three adjacent communities of Chikukwa, Charlsewood-Tilbury and Ngangu, the initiative trained stakeholders and communities in biodiversity monitoring, sustainable livelihoods and agri-business management. It also established beekeeping projects, built two honey processing centres and conducted landscape restoration. The project directly improved livelihoods of over 120 households and enhanced capacity of local stakeholders in biodiversity management.
Dernière modification 09 Jan 2025
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Contexte
Challenges addressed
The key threats to biodiversity in Chimanimani include deforestation, fires, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive alien plant species and the overarching impacts of climate change. In 2019, Chimanimani endured the catastrophic effects of Cyclone Idai, which disrupted both human livelihoods and ecosystems. This disruption increased pressure on the protected area and ecological zones within the buffer zone. As communities were recovering from the cyclone, the situation was further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, intensifying reliance on natural resources. Enhancing livelihoods of people around the protected area and engaging these communities in site monitoring and habitat restoration were identified as key priorities for improved conservation of the Chimanimani Mountains KBA. Thus, the project prioritized enhancing livelihoods, strengthening local stakeholder capacity for effective management of the protected area and surrounding ecological zones, hence fostering a deeper connection between people and biodiversity.
Emplacement
Chimanimani, Manicaland, Zimbabwe
East and South Africa
Traiter
Summary of the process
Participatory needs assessment established a strong foundation by aligning project priorities, such as beekeeping and training, with community aspirations, ensuring relevance and acceptability. This informed subsequent activities, which were further strengthened through inclusivity in decision-making. By involving diverse stakeholders in platforms like the SMAG and project committees, the process fostered trust, collaboration and accountability, allowing for the incorporation of varied perspectives into planning and execution.
Capacity building, guided by these initial steps, equipped beneficiaries with essential skills in areas like nursery management and value addition, enabling them to take ownership of project components. This empowerment directly contributed to the instillation of stewardship, as community members volunteered labour, resources and time for activities.
Regular monitoring and evaluation provided a continuous feedback loop, enabling real-time adjustments to project activities based on community input. This iterative process enhanced relationships between stakeholders and ensured the project remained adaptive, relevant, and sustainable, with each block reinforcing and building upon the others to maximize impact.
Building Blocks
1. Participatory Needs Assessment
This foundation block ensured the project was community-driven by identifying priorities such as beekeeping and training. By aligning project goals with the Chimanimani Climate Change and Watershed Management Policy and ward development plans, the project reflected community aspirations and offered a framework to guide interventions. This process provided a strong, participatory baseline for project design upon which the project success was built on.
2. Inclusivity in Decision-Making
A participatory project committee process and platforms like the SMAG ensured diverse stakeholders, including government, NGOs, and local communities, contributed ideas. This inclusive approach empowered all participants to have a say in shaping activities, fostering collaboration and accountability. Inclusivity built trust and reinforced the outcomes of the needs assessment by incorporating a wide range of perspectives into project planning and execution.
3. Capacity Building
Training sessions equipped beneficiaries with skills in beekeeping, value addition, nursery management, and restoration. This empowerment enhanced local ownership, enabling community members to independently manage and sustain project components like nurseries and apiaries. The trainings were guided by the needs identified and supported through inclusive decision-making, ensuring relevance and community buy-in.
4. Instilling sense of Stewardship among Community Members
Volunteering activities, such as constructing honey processing centers, tree planting, and nursery establishment, strengthened community ownership. Contributions like bricks and stones exemplified local investment in the project's success. Stewardship motivated community members to sustain the project beyond its initial implementation phase. Stewardship was the outcome of participatory planning, inclusivity, and capacity-building efforts, reinforcing project sustainability and ownership.
Lesson learned
Stewardship was the outcome of participatory planning, inclusivity, and capacity-building efforts, reinforcing project sustainability and ownership.
5. Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation
Regular engagement allowed for the assessment of impacts and adjustments based on feedback, ensuring the project remained aligned with community needs and goals. Monitoring strengthened relationships between implementers and beneficiaries, building trust and accountability.
Lesson learned
Continuous evaluation closed the loop by integrating lessons learned back into decision-making, capacity building, and implementation, ensuring the project stayed adaptive and relevant.
Impacts
The project achieved significant impacts in enhancing biodiversity management, promoting green livelihoods and restoring ecosystems in the Chimanimani area. The capacity of 51 stakeholders, including protected area staff, government departments, civil society organizations and local communities, was strengthened through training on different approaches to biodiversity conservation.
The target communities adopted and some scaled-up beekeeping as a sustainable livelihood, benefiting 171 people (72 females, 99 males). Over 550 beehives were distributed, with more than 50% colonized, yielding an average of 20 kg of raw honey per hive by the end of the project. Two honey processing centers were established, for value addition to increase competitive advantage of the sales. Training in Internal Savings and Lending Schemes (ISLS) benefited 120 participants, facilitating reinvestments in beekeeping and nursery tree sales that collectively generated USD 1,650 in the first round. Business management training empowered 85 participants to expand small-scale enterprises.
Ecosystem restoration efforts were equally impactful, with 80 hectares of degraded land restored in the target communities through participatory mapping and the establishment of nurseries for reforestation and ecological zones within the communities. These efforts have fostered long-term stewardship and empowered communities for sustainability.
Beneficiaries
The direct beneficiaries were 180 households in Chikukwa, Charleswood-Tilbury and Ngangu communities and also some government agencies through ecosystem management, sustainable livelihoods and gender mainstreaming. Key stakeholders were engaged via workshops.
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation
SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
SDG 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions
Story
Chikukwa Honey Processing Centre and some of the project beneficiaries
Shingirai Sakarombe
At 51 years old, Mejury Magomwe’s life in Chikukwa Community, Kubatana Village has been marked by resilience and hard working. As a widow heading a household of 5 people, she faced daily challenges to provide adequately for her family. Before the Biopama-funded project, her family had three beehives, the output of which she sold to local vendors and dealers at low prices. Despite efforts to diversify her sources of household income, the earnings were insufficient to cover the needs of her family.
However, participating in the project, marked a turning point in Mejury’s life. One of the key activities she benefited from was the training in beekeeping and hive construction that was conducted in Chikukwa in April 2023. The two-day training equipped Mejury with knowledge on standard beekeeping approaches, hive construction and bee management which she was never exposed to in her life. She learned how to improve the productivity of her hives and the quality of honey, which in turn, helped her increase both quality and quantities of honey from her beekeeping activities. As part of the training, Mejury and other community members were also introduced to the art of building beehives using modern techniques and tools. The project facilitated the distribution of timber and hive-making materials, empowering her and her neighbours to create more hives at the household level. As a result, she managed to increase the stock of her beehives from only 3 to a total of 13 beehives.
Beyond beekeeping, Mejury’s participation in the project extended to honey processing. In 2023, she benefited from training in small-scale agro-business entrepreneurship, which included vital skills in marketing and value addition. With the establishment of honey processing centers in Chikukwa, Mejury now has access to the necessary infrastructure to process her honey locally and fetch higher prices thus increased income for her household. Before the project, Mejury testified that she would sell raw honey at low prices, but now, with the newly constructed honey processing centre, she is now processing her honey, ensuring better quality and more profitable sales.
Today, Mejury’s household has grown more resilient and its set to grow even more as her bee keeping initiative continues to thrive. Mejury’s story is a testament to the transformative power of the Biopama-funded project, which has not only empowered her economically but also instilled in her a deep commitment to the stewardship of the land that sustains her community.
