Chimanimani TFCA

Change activity: Conservation of carbon sinks through reduction of biodiversity

destruction and the restitution of ecosystems affected by climate change
Progress:
Communication, networking collaboration and sharing of information among and
from the trained team members (Ms Candida Lucas Park Manager of Chimanimani
Reserve in Mozambique and Ms Kwanele Manungo Park Manager of Chimanimani
National Park in Zimbabwe) was initially poor or unreported but gradually improved
with mentors using telephone and increased frequency of email; and with support
from the National TFCA Units in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe and the coming in
of the Process Moderator (Mr Timothy Mwafuka). (It should be noted here that the
National TFCA Unit in Zimbabwe identified the need to monitor the change projects
in all their TFCAs but were affected by small budgets. While they relied on existing
budgets to combine routine visits with CCA monitoring, they indicated that these
were already constrained). The Process Moderator pledged to bring together all
stakeholders to review and launch the project by 30 June 2014. As a follow-through
stakeholder meetings have been held on what should be done about CCAM in the
TFCA and raising awareness. The first meeting resulted in formation of an
environmental management committee that will deal with environmental protection in
the TFCA it includes climate change adaptation issues such as preventing
deforestation and cutting down of trees, and veld fires among others.
A need for more capacity building was identified to enhance CCA knowledge among
park managers and communities and other stakeholders. There have been meetings
in the Chimanimani TFCA initiated by the Process Moderator after the course which
were attended by communities from the Mozambique and Zimbabwe sides and
hosted in the latter. These meetings took place from the end of June and were
presided over by the common Chief overseeing both communities, with TFCA
representatives from both countries, and the Chimanimani Rural District Council as
the convener. The meetings were held along the border to share and profile
information on stakeholders on who can help with capacity building in the
Chimanimani TFCA most importantly discussing joint management plan and also
possibility of including CCAM in the management plan. Community-based
ecosystems and livelihoods adaptation activities planned include bee-keeping and
eco-tourism, walking trails, afforestation and sustainable farming practices such as
permaculture, which is a prevalent practice in this general area showing some
positive adaptation results. The project team is currently the seeking funding in order
to implement these activities. The Mozambique and Zimbabwe participants who
attended the first training came up with a joint plan to address alternative
occupations of neighbouring communities through income-generating eco-tourism
activities and afforestation to cover opened ground. The Process Moderator added
value by bringing in aspects of bee-keeping and eco-tourism which have been added
to the crossborder collaborative adaptation agenda. The challenge of illegal goldmining in the reserve pre-occupied the team members agenda initially as it is a key
TFCA concern, but the process moderator has helped to widen the issues and to
clarify focus on CCA.

Project lead team members have acquired knowledge and basic skills for climate
change risk and vulnerability assessment (RVA) and of selecting climate change
adaptation options and measures. Environmental management committees have
been formed in Zimbabwe after the first course when participants attended the
course and advocated for their formation. These have been integrated into the Local
Authority structures. Feedback from the first course indicates that team needs to be
enhanced and contextualised to allow the whole team to have a common
understanding and strategy that will facilitate expansion of the team and network.
The process moderator Timothy Mwafuka is in the process of facilitating
communication between project team members. Communication between the two
countries is being enhanced in connection with improving change project joint
planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
Collaboration between communities on either side of the border regarding the CCA
change project is being facilitated through the commonality of the people on either
side of the border. However there is still a need to develop formal protocol in place
that can be explored through this CCAM project.
In summary the TFCA team has managed to hold community climate change
adaptation awareness meetings where ideas of adaptation have been mobilised.
Stakeholder workshops have also been held. Cross-border collaboration has been
enhanced in the context of CCA after the training, to discuss trans-boundary CCA
strategies. The first meeting was held on the Zimbabwe side with stakeholders from
both Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This meeting focussed on role-clarification and
stakeholder profiling. They agreed to form a cross-border network that addresses
cross-border environmental issues with a climate change lens.