Ensuring Benefits to Rural Communities From Wildlife and Forestry - A Dialogue Between Mozambique and Namibia April 23 – 27, 2017 FIELD VISIT REPORT CONVENED BY: Mozambique’s Integrated Forest and Landscape Management Portfoli o 1 CONTENTS Overview .................................................. 2 Background Information ........................... 2 Objectives ...........................................................................................................2 Atendees .............................................................................................................3 Agenda................................................................................................................4 Photos.................................................................................................................5 Background .............................................. 6 Long-term Rights .................................................................................................6 Impressive Development of Conservancies .........................................................7 The Growth of Joint Ventures Tourism ................................................................8 Value Chains .......................................................................................................9 Long-term Capacity Building..............................................................................10 Lessons for Mozambique ........................ 12 Next Steps: ........................................................................................................14 Annex................................................................................................................14 2 OVERVIEW Background Information Namibia is a good example of how conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources can bring economic benefits to local communities. Twenty years ago, hostility towards wildlife was prevalent among communities, as this was a state-controlled asset from which local people received no benefits. Namibia is now a pioneer in the sustainable management of wildlife through community based natural resources Management (CBNRM). This positive shift has occurred through community empowerment on a large scale, supported legislation that links environmental management with economic opportunity. For this reason, between, 23 and 27 April 2018, a team of 9 people from government (FNDS, PIUs, Rural Development, ANAC at national and local levels) and the WB all involved in the Bank Landscape portfolio travelled to Namibia to meet with key stakeholders engaged in the environmental governance and visit some conservancies in the Zambezi region. Objectives In the framework of the south-south knowledge exchange, a WB/GoM involve in the WB Landscape Portfolio visited to Namibia to learn about: • Environmental governance and the legal framework that allows communities to access economic benefits directly from wildlife and natural resources • Partnerships with private operators to create and manage community based tourism market • Benefit sharing mechanisms and community base natural resources management In order to apply the knowledge acquired in the preparation and implementation of the MozBio 2 project and the Benefit Sharing Mechanism of the Emission Reduction Programme in Zambezia. Both projects have a strong focus on improving the living standards of communities whose livelihoods depend on the adequate and sustainable management of natural resources. 3 Atendees There were ninie participants from government (FNDS, PIUs, Rural Development , ANAC at national and local levels) all involved in the Bank Landscape portfolio. Tiago Luis – Rural Development National Directorate (DNDR) Sonia Nordez – National Sustainable Development Fund (FNDS) Catariana Chidiamassamba - FNDS/MOZBIO project Mario Candeia – FNDS/ PIU Cabo Delgado Tomas Bastique – FNDS/ PIU Zambezia Joaquim Langa- ITC Binit Varajidas - ITC Andre Aquino – World Bank Carmen Lahoz – World Bank 4 Agenda Date Activity 23 April 2018 Arrival at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, at 13:25 Check in at Hillside Meeting with Head of Wildlife and Parks (Ministry of Environment and Tourism) Dinner at Pepata (Traditional Cuisines) with the NACSO team 24 April 2018 CBNRM Workshop with NACSO Members and Partners including: Overview of CBNRM activities within Ministry of Environment and Tourism NACSO Working Groups: “Natural Resources”, “Institutional Development” and “Business, Enterprise and Livelihoods” KAZA TFCA Joint Venture Presentation Community Forest by Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Dinner meeting with CBNRM partners at Joe’s Beer House 25 April 2018 Fly to Katima, arrival 12:00 Lunch meeting with IRDNC Zambezi office Drive to Namushasha Arrival 15:40 at Namushasha Boat Drive at 16:00 Dinner and overnight at Namushaha 26 April 2018 Breakfast at Namushasha Mashi Traditional Village at 08:30 Meeting with Wuparo Conservancy and the Lodge Operator (09:00 – 10:15) Drive to Salambala Conservancy Arrive at Mubala Camp at 14:00 Dinner at Mubala Camp and over night 27 April 2018 Breakfast at Chobe River with the Salamabala Conservancy Chairperson and one Committee member Meeting with Salambala Conservancy 08:30-09:30) at the conservancy office, Drive to Katima Fly back to Windhoek 28 April 2018 Fly back to Maputo 5 Photos Mozambique Team Workshop with NACSOC and Partners Visit to Conservancy Kwandu Together with management team de Kwandu 6 BACKGROUND “Unless local communities and rural households have benefits from wildlife, they will not be stewards of these resources. National Parks’ and overall biodiversity’s future hinge on effective engagement with local communities”. - Colgar Sikopo (The head of Wildlife and Parks in Namibia) Communal Conservancies in Namibia Communal conservancies are self-governing, democratic entities, run by their members, with fixed boundaries that are agreed with adjacent conservancies, communities or land owners. Conservancies are recognized by the MET, but not governed by the Ministry, which does, however, have powers to de-register a conservancy if it fails to comply with conservation regulation. Communal conservancies are obliged to have game management plans, to conduct annual general meetings, and to prepare financial reports. They are managed under committees elected by their members. Figure 1. The distribution of conservancies and community forest across Namibia Long-term Rights Following Namibia’s independence in 1990, the then Ministry of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism found that many communities on communal land wanted the same rights over natural resources enjoyed by freehold farmers, who could hunt game and establish tourism enterprises on their land. In 1996 an amendment was made to the Nature Conservation Ordinance of 1975, which devolved rights to communities over natural resources, which includes wildlife, and established rights for communities to set up tourism enterprises. 7 These rights were to be exercised through communal conservancies. The first four communal conservancies were formed in 1998. Impressive Development of Conservancies To date, there are 82 registered communal conservancies and 1 community conservation association in a national park of which 23 conservancies hold 19 concessions in national parks and other state land. There are also 32 registered community forests and 2 community fish reserves. There are an estimated 200,000 people living in conservancies Community conservation covers 1.6 million hectares, which is about 53% of all communal lands and over 20% of Namibia. The total cash income and in-kind benefits generated in conservancies grew rapidly from less than N$1 million (USD 90 thousand) in 1998 to N$ 111 (USD 10 million) in 2016. In this period, community conservation contributed about N$ 6 billion (USD 500 million) to Namibia’s net national income Return from wildlife and other natural resources generated through community conservation have proven to be substantial, including direct income to conservancies from tourism and conservation hunting, jobs created and benefits including distribution of game meat. Joint venture tourism and conservation hunting make the greatest financial contribution to communal conservancies. 8 SOURCE OF INCOME VALUE IN N$ PERCENT OF BENEFITS Conservancy Income & Benefits Joint Venture Tourism 49 858 093 48.8 Sustainable Wildlife Use 45 065 570 44.1 Tourism/Craft Enterprises 3 817 323 3.7 Natural Plant Products 1 820 020 1.8 Miscellaneous 1 622 039 1.6 Total Conservancy Benefits 102 183 045 100.0 Conservancy benefit sources in 2015 The Growth of Joint Ventures Tourism The growth in the number of joint venture lodges has been enhanced by the awarding of tourism concessions to conservancies by MET. A good example are the joint ventures between several conservancies and Gondwana Collection, a private company engaged in karakul skins production until 9 the 90s when it started being involved into the tourism business. Currently, Gondwana Collection runs more than 14 lodges and hotels in Namibia. The Mozambican delegation visited the Namushasha lodge in the Mashi Conservancy. This joint venture in the Zambezi region was created in 2012. The lodge is located in a dense forest on the banks of the Zambezi River and offers a good choice of activities: river cruises, trip to the Bwabwata National Park and visits to the traditional heritage centre. The lodge employs 53 staff, the majority from the Mashi Conservancy – many of them moving now into management positions. Annual payments to Mashi Conservancy are derived from occupancy, which increased dramatically in the past year (over USD 100K in 2016/2017). There has also been a significant and increasing capital investment in the lodge. Gondwana Collection has the trust that the tourism sector will do fine in the country, highlighting the importance of a conducive enabling environment for the country. Value Chains Another valuable source of income – although to a much lesser extent - for the conservancies is adding value to different products (wildlife, forests) and crafts. The Mashi Conservancy is involved in two income-generating activities: harvesting of Devil’s Claw and the Mashi Craft centre (US$50,000 in revenues every year). Devils Claw products are used throughout the world as herbal products with anti‐inflammatory and digestive properties. The Mashi community harvests the tubers and processes them (slicing and drying) before selling the final product. 10 The Mashi Craft Centre is supplied by 11 community groups who were trained by IRDNC who provided them with training in the use of natural resources for making various crafts and also quality control to ensure that their products were up to standard. The crafters makes a range of products including using grasses to make reed mats and baskets, beaded necklaces made from natural seeds, woodcarvings and drums, and fish traps. Long-term Capacity Building The Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management Support Organisations (NACSO) is an association comprising 8 NGOs and the University of Namibia. The NACSO concept was developed in 1998 with the aim of providing quality services to rural communities seeking to manage and utilise their natural resources in a sustainable manner. Many of the activities of NACSO are carried out through focussed working groups. There are three active working groups: (i) Institutional Development Working Group that works to develop and improve conservancies' democratic governance, management and financial operations, (ii) Natural Resources Working Group that works with conservancies and government to gather, 11 analyse and publish data on wildlife and other natural resources, and (iii) Business, Enterprise and Livelihoods Working Group that assists conservancies to develop businesses and to manage joint venture tourism operations. NACSO working groups are comprised of specialists from NGOs, government and consultancies, whose role is to support and develop CBNRM through the three pillars of business, governance and natural resource management. 12 Lessons for Mozambique The main lesson learned from the exchange visit to Namibia is that an enabling legal framework and substantial economic benefits to local communities can significantly revert environmental degradation. For instance, the black rhino population has dramatically increased (from 100 in 1965 to 2,000 in 2016) and the elephant population has more than doubled (from 7,500 in 1995 to 22,500 in 2016) in Namibia since the CBNRM program started. Other lessons learned are the following: • Wildlife is a key aspect of an integrated rural development strategy to achieve the dual goals of improving the livelihoods of rural communities and ensuring sustainable management of natural resources • Tourism can generate significant income to local communities. Joint venture is a tool but tourism in general is highly volatile. There is a need of an enabling environment to attract tourists on which the revenues rely. • Other sources of financing, such as conservation hunting, non-timber forest products and art crafts need to be promoted to complement the income generated by the tourism business. • Partnerships can play a key role. The benefit sharing arrangements vary widely, and have to evolve over time, as communities learn more. Better to have it based on variables readily understood by communities (such as # bed night) than on turn-over. • Continued capacity building, awareness raising and empowerment of rural communities are key elements to achieve sustainable community-based conservation. To this end, there is a need of developing a well-structured and comprehensive programme and creating a network of experienced civil society organizations to provide support to community based natural resources organizations. 13 A comparison between Mozambique and Namibia is shown in the table below: Issues Mozambique Namibia Legal framework - Land Law and Policy - Nature Conservation Amendment – 1996 - Forest Law and Policy - National Policy on Tourism and Concessions on State - Conservation Law and Land – 2007 (allow for joint ventures) Regulations - National Policy of CBNRM – 2013 (rules of benefit Conducive to CBNRM, with sharing) some gaps about - National Policy on HWC – 2018 implementation Capacity building ITC and other NGOs Systematic, well structured support (NACSO & support to communities Provincial Forest Department partners) through: (business, governance Non coordinated, non - Natural resources– conservation and hunting and natural resources) systematic, very little funds (patrolling, monitoring, counting, quota setting) available. - Business development, negotiation, contracts Landscape platforms to be - Governance – committees, transparency, benefit consolidated sharing Tools and instruments developed over years Access to finance for Very limited, not commercial. NACSO Business WG provides TA on business models, sustainable business Access to finance to assets from contracts, negotiations. Access to financing from donors (case of Zenguelemo, commercial banks to acquire asset still limited Covane and Chemucane) Community governance Existing confusion (CGRN x CLs). Conservancies Committees, elected members. NACSO Most CGRNs non functional / MET monitors and reports on performance. Benefits to local 20% from forests, hunting Significant, and increasing. Around US$10 million in communities concessions and CA – very 2016 limited Source of revenues Limited (hunting and forestry). Tourism and hunting, SMES on natural products (less important). Number of CBNRM CGRNs - ? 83 conservancies, 32 communal forests organizations No community protected area, a few dysfunctional community forests Monitoring Limited and non-systematized Annual audits of conservancies’ performance data collection. Annual systematized data collection by government No joint system in place and partners 14 Next Steps: National level Responsinbility Finalization of a ppt with high level recommendations to be presented to RD and CM Integrated decision makers group Preparation of a budget to implement a systematic capacity building RD and CM Integrated programme for rural communities group Fund raising for the capacity building programme MITADER Strengthening the relationship between community land delimitation and MoU between ITC e identification of potential income sources at community level, and search FNDS for partners Elaboration of a proposal of a CBOs assessment system ITC and DNDR Launching the first CBOs systematic assessment in 2019 ITC and DNDR Elaboration of a National Programme to Support Communities in Natural RD and CM Integrated Resources Management group Put forward the idea of a national fund to finance National Programme to FNDS and ITC Support Communities in Natural Resources Management Fund raising to capitalize the fund MITADER At landscape level Share the ppt with the Zambezia and Cabo Delgado platforms and discuss PIUs the implementation of the pilot initiatives Meeting with NGOs to define their potential involvemet in the pilor ITC/PIUs experiences Identification of Conservation community areas in the 3 target MOZBIO/FNDS conservation areas of MozBio2 Monitoring and systematization of the landscape pilot experiences FNDS/ITC Annex PPT Presentation Workshop Namibia 15