http://allafrica.com/stories/201608100555.html



Zimbabwe: $20 Million Shot in Arm for Save Valley Communities

By George Maponga


Masvingo — Government has signed an agreement with the European Union where the latter will avail $20 million to develop communities around the wildlife-rich Save Valley Conservancy in the south east Lowveld under the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire). Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri revealed that Government had inked a deal with the EU.She said the funds would in the long run reduce poaching at the wildlife-rich conservancy.

"The EU has made available $20 million to support Campfire programmes for communities around Save Valley and we hope the move will help the communities to appreciate the importance of co-existing with wildlife in the conservancy, especially considering that there have been reports of rampant poaching and destruction of the perimeter fence," she said.

"We are happy with the funding that has been released by the EU because communities around Save Valley will accrue some benefits from wildlife operations at the conservancy because all along, they were suffering at the hands of some of these wild animals, which sometimes destroyed their crops and homes and various other effects of conflict between humans and wildlife."



Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said $8 million would go towards setting up irrigation schemes to help in the production of food.

The remaining $12 million would be used for other projects such as developing clean water sources for communities around the wildlife-rich conservancy.

The release of the funds by the EU is part of the ongoing multi-sectoral efforts to curb rampant poaching in one of Zimbabwe's biggest wildlife sanctuaries.

Save Valley has more than 20 properties with at least seven protected under Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs), while the remainder are incorporated under the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

ZimParks has since started restructuring Save Valley after some of the properties under its control were invaded by illegal settlers who are blamed for indiscriminately killing wildlife.



The invaders also stand accused of vandalising the perimeter fence thereby increasing chances of conflict between wild animals and human beings around the sanctuary.

Most of the properties protected under BIPPAs at Save Valley were run by nationals or companies from EU countries.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri gave the reassurance that ZimParks was not going to interfere in the running of properties protected under BIPPAs at Save Valley.

She added that Government would not go back on the takeover of other properties that were incorporated under the parks estates following problems that arose after some senior politicians were given 25-year hunting permits under the wildlife-based land reform programme.

The hunting permits were cancelled after Government ruled that the majority of the beneficiaries were multiple farm owners.



"Nothing has changed with regards to the incorporation of some of the properties under the control of the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

"Properties under BIPPAs were left alone and the decision that was made two years ago when Government directed the politicians and other officials who had moved into Save Valley be removed, nothing has changed, the Parks Authority is now in charge," added Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.

Save Valley straddles for over 340 000 hectares and shares a boundary with communities in Bikita and Chiredzi districts in Masvingo province, and Chipinge district in Manicaland.

A large part of the nearly 320 kilometre double perimeter fence around the conservancy was destroyed by poachers, a situation that has resulted in dangerous animals such as lions entering surrounding communities, threatening humans and killing livestock.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the destroyed perimeter fence requires nearly $4 million to repair.

what would you bet that 1/2 of this money ends up in ZANU-PF Swiss accounts....

Only 1/2 ?

http://allafrica.com/stories/201608220027.html



Zimbabwe: Prioritise People Ahead of Animals - Minister

By Tendai Mugabe



PEOPLE should benefit from wildlife conservation and their rights should take precedence ahead of animal privileges, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also implored ministers to put their political differences aside and work for the development of the country.

She said this in Chiredzi and Middle Sabi last Friday where she met communities to explore ways of reducing human wildlife conflict challenges in the two areas.

In Middle Sabi, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri received shocking reports that recently two people were trampled to death by elephants and buffaloes while 400 head of cattle were killed by lions.

Chipinge acting district administrator Mr Freeman Mavhiza said the problem of human wildlife conflict was being exacerbated by failure to maintain the fence along the Save Valley Conservancy.



The fence was last maintained in the 1960s.

Wild animals were now trespassing into villages where they are wrecking havoc.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri was also told that communities were failing to access water in Save River after the conservancy owners fenced off the greater part of the river to conserve water for animals.

In response, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said people should be prioritised ahead of animals.

"What I have seen along the Save Valley Conservancy where you extended the fence to accommodate Save River -- it is good that we care about animals but if that conflict with the interests of the people, the interests of the people take precedence. Let that be known," she said.

"While we should respect each other, we should not lose sight of Government priority. Animals are enjoying water when people are starving."



The minister said she was not going to extend any hunting quotas until the fence around Save Valley had been repaired.

She said she would only consider requests for hunting quarters in cases where people wanted to repair the fence and other community development projects.

"I am seeing insensitivity where people are not being protected," she said.

"We must protect the people first. I cannot allow people to hunt before protecting the people. If you come and say you want to hunt four elephants and extend the proceeds towards maintaining the fence to protect people I will give you. People have suffered enough."

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said it was disturbing that some countries were proposing a ban on elephant hunting without considering the problems these animals were causing to communities adjacent to game parks.



Said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri: "I asked when I went to Nairobi, Kenya, when they said they wanted to ban trophy hunting, why animals are being valued and prioritised more than human life.

"They only talk about banning of hunting without considering the problems being caused by these animals to communities.

"Conservancy owners should balance their business priorities with community development. People should benefit from wildlife for them to see their importance."

In Chiredzi, Minister of State for Masvingo Province Cde Shuvai Mahofa said: "Several areas are being affected by the problem of human wildlife conflict. In some cases there are people who illegally settled themselves in conservancies and they are putting their lives in danger. Another factor is that people in this province are not happy that they are not benefiting much from wildlife conservation through indigenisation."