Community Development

The long-term sustainability of Matusadona National Park can only be achieved through active participation and engagement with local communities and local authorities. The overarching objective that began in 2019 has continued with the implementation of a strong community engagement programme that ensures that local communities are informed about, benefit from and support the protection of this vast wilderness area.

Engagement with local communities helps identify the challenges and concerns that come with living alongside wildlife. This collaborative approach ensures that the benefits of conserving the park are shared while minimising costs to neighbouring communities. The community engagement team continues to raise awareness and foster understanding of conservation and its benefits, which is resulting in the emergence of a strong sense of ownership amongst local people.

Improved communication between park management and the surrounding communities has greatly enhanced Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) reporting. Before 2019, few incidents were recorded, creating the impression that conflict was minimal. Since then, reports have steadily increased, which reflects strengthened relationships and growing trust in the park’s efforts to mitigate conflict. The launch of an extensive grievance mechanism across 12 wards adjacent to the park has created new channels for dialogue and learning, while the recruitment of 16 community monitors has significantly strengthened HWC response capacity. Together with expanded data-driven analysis, these measures enable more targeted interventions in collaboration with affected communities.

Traditional leaders, and local communities, along with the Rural District Council, have developed a Land Use Plan that balances the needs of people and wildlife. Through inclusive dialogue, practical solutions are emerging to address land degradation, promote sustainable and legal land use, and anticipate future community needs. Once implemented, the plan will formalise wildlife corridors and community conservancies in the Nyaminyami District, designating zones for sustainable agriculture, reduced human-wildlife conflict, community-led tourism, and socio-economic development.

Environmental education is being emphasised through the creation of wildlife clubs, school visits to the park, and providing access for community members to Matusadona, facilitating their wildlife experience, and demonstrating the importance of biodiversity conservation.

Every year, bursaries are awarded to disadvantaged students who are at risk of leaving school. Over 200 students and adults visit the park annually through the Environmental and Young Rangers programme, while wildlife clubs have doubled in number since 2023 to 15 clubs comprising 450 young members. 

Income-generating projects, such as honey production, sewing groups and chicken farming projects, are providing an alternative to dependence on park resources.

With revived fish stocks, the legal fishing camps have become a major financial benefit to communities, as fishermen are able to access protected commercial fishing grounds. As a result, many are beginning to see the direct benefits of sustainable utilisation, not only in improved catches, but also through the support of rangers who protect their fisheries from illegal operators. The two fishing camps inside the park average between 36 and 40 tonnes of harvest each month, generating income that is three to four times higher than that of unregulated fishing camps.

To refine monitoring and promote responsible harvesting, a receipt system has been implemented, requiring fishers to document both their sales and catches. The “Fish to Fork” is a pilot scheme in King’s Camp, a fishing community residing within the park. The project’s objective is to see better, more equitable, returns for the local fishing community and once realised, to expand to fishing camps outside of the park.

In a landscape that is shared by people and wildlife, human-wildlife conflict is a major focus. Crop damage by elephant and predation on cattle and goats by hyaena and lion continues to cause conflict.  The installation of electric-fenced nutrition gardens and solar-powered boreholes has safeguarded over 150 families from crop raiding and drought, and the implementation of real-time HWC tracking technology helps the park collaborate with communities in conflict management.