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Mahlabezulu Zulu
The English expression, ‘‘plenty talk the talk but do not walk the walk’’ becomes clear as some organisations which tout themselves as champions of natural resources conservation for community benefit fail to match their rhetoric with on-the-ground deliverables.

Some natural resources like river-sand from local rivers can be sold  for the benefit of local communities to nearby towns or cities which do not have such resources.  Special trees like Zambezi Teak-Umkusu/Mkusu and Bloodwood-Umvagazi/Mubvaropa provide special timber if conserved, and harvested  on behalf of communities at correct stages.

They can then be sold on behalf of communities as ‘community linked projects’  with funds realised being used to develop communities through establishment of self-help projects run by community members or used to support special institutions which are found within communities.

The money can be used to build classroom blocks or teachers’ houses, buying furniture for schools or building clinics. While appreciating  the “good and fulfilled promises” by some environmentally-concerned   organisations,  others have pending issues with communities due to lack of empirical evidence of any benefits accruing to the communities.

As a conservationist, l sometimes slot in conservation issues in personal discussions l have  with various  people especially rural communities. During a recent visit to an area in Matabeleland which is said to be “rich in natural resources” including river-sand which is constantly supplied by private haulage trucks to the city, it was exciting though sad, when a disgruntled senior  member  of the community said the natural resource is in abundance and supposed to benefit the community but they get nothing from it.

Mr Norman Chuma said:

“My son, while we expected more benefit from this river-sand as a community natural resource, it is disappointing that the only benefit we are getting is dust as trucks pass by our homes  to our neighbouring town to deliver river-sand from our local river.”

Communities in various districts dotted around the country are aware of various available local natural resources which they are supposed to benefit from, for example special timber producing trees,  river-sand from local rivers, stones and wildlife found in different communities in different parts of the country.

Some communities have expressed concern over lack of such benefit through various platforms, but this has fallen on deaf ears. The big question is, are such disgruntled communities going to take part in conservation of such natural resources, especially wildlife if they are not realising any benefits? The introduction of Communal Areas Management Program For Indigenious Resources (CAMPFIRE) was a noble idea as the program manages resources on behalf of communities, especially rural communities.

CAMPFIRE operates under natural resources departments in various rural district councils of the country.  Being the main program linked to the local authority it is expected to spearhead community developmental projects linked to use of local natural resources on behalf of communities. Depending on available  natural resources in respective communities, it is good that some CAMPFIRE programs  in various parts of the country have done well to improve the lives of locals.

Among other benefits, the programme has built classrooms at schools, and established self-help projects for communities.  It is also  good that some environment concerned  non-governmental organisations have joined local authorities to fulfill the agenda of promoting conservation and prudent use of local natural resources for the benefit of communities. Some of these organisations have done well and gained support from respective communities. It’s unfortunate that in some districts,  some of  these organisations have performed better than the local authority-linked CAMPFIRE program and some community members have become aware of that. In some communities  a series of meetings have been held between the community and CAMPFIRE representatives to seek accountability.

Common questions from community members like:

*We always have elephants killed and trophies sold under the CAMPFIRE program  where does the money go?

*We always see truckloads of timber or riversand from our community, where does the money go since we are not realising any developmental projects in our community?

It is good that communities are often given this opportunity to press for greater benefit from their natural resources.

In some of these meetings, the outcomes will  be empirical as developmental projects can be seen sprouting from CAMPFIRE programs. It is unfortunate that in some of these meetings, if not most of them, a string of broken promises emerges as there would be no evidence of developmental projects realised under the CAMPFIRE program.

It will be noble that more  CAMPFIRE projects are seen in communities than those established by subsidiary environment organisations, most of which come and go.

Communities can play a pivotal role in conserving natural resources if they realise their benefits, hence the need for empirical developmental projects. It is good that communities celebrate the end of the year, and coming of another new year seeing such developmental projects in their respective communities.

*Mahlabezulu Zulu is a conservationist who has worked for various wildlife research, and conservation organisations in Hwange National Park, and Fuller Forestry in Victoria Falls.

He can be contacted on 00263(0)713269827/0776196171. Email [email protected]
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