AFRICAN INDABA

9    A Practical Summary of Experiences after Three Decades of Community-based Wildlife Conservation in Africa

 A New CIC/FAO Publication 

Executive Summary:  

This paper sums up the practical experiences collected during the past three decades with CBC in Southern and Eastern Africa. The picture from the field is not consistent. Successful cases exist as well as unsuccessful ones. Their causes and determinants are identified, and key reasons for success or failure are discussed with emphasis on the role of governance, bottom-up versus top-down approaches, the need for governments to devolve power to the communities, the role of governments, donors and non-government organizations in the initiation and implementation of CBC such as training, facilitating and development of a legal framework, and particularly those areas where these players do not have a role. Common criticisms leveled at CBC programs are evaluated and discussed in detail. Some of these have merit, while others are mere sour grapes or purposeful attempts to derail CBC. Some proponents of CBC advocate a return to the old “fences and fines” approach, which was responsible for some of the greatest losses of wildlife on the African continent. A return to these outdated forms of conservation would further this loss, yet under CBC schemes many wildlife areas have enjoyed greater protection and populations increased, while at the same time the development of communities has been promoted and steps towards an escape from poverty and self-determination have been achieved. Although failures do exist, the concept of CBC has been widely successful and continues to present the only viable option to combine wildlife and biodiversity conservation with rural development and poverty reduction in the vast unprotected areas of Africa where much wildlife still currently roams free. Four case studies compiled by different authors present the particularly relevant cases of Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and the longest existing study of traditional cooperation, a case from Zambia. 

Dr. Baldus, R. D. (2009): A Practical Summary of Experiences after Three Decades of Community-based Wildlife Conservation in Africa “What are the Lessons Learnt?” 

A joint publication by: CIC – International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation and FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.  

Budapest 2009. 128 pp. ISBN: 978-963-87791-8-2; 

This brochure can be downloaded at

http://www.cic-sustainable-hunting-worldwide.org/publications.html