CBNRM Partners - Ready for Action

MS-Zambia partners within community based natural resource management met for the second and final phase of the Support and Training Provision to learn, share experiences and discuss different topics within the field of natural resource management.

By Katrine Lundsby, Development Worker

01. June 2005

The second phase of the Support and Training Provision (STP) for partners in Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) was conducted at the Commonwealth Youth Centre from the 16th to the 20th of June 2005. There were 25 participants from six different organisations, all working within the field of CBNRM.

The first phase of the STP for partners in CBNRM was conducted in January 2005, following the partnership review workshops where common areas of required support and training were identified.

During the first workshop policies and legislations within CBNRM were covered. This first phase of the STP was aimed at establishing democratically organised structures for local communities to reduce poverty through natural resource management.

The second phase

The aim of the second and final phase of the STP was to assist CBNRM sub-district structures asses and analyse existing sources of investment capital, develop mechanisms for mobilising local savings and access demand driven extension services.

Topics covered in the workshop were; developmental concerns on natural resources, capital investment/saving, outgrower schemes, accessing and developing markets for non timber forest products, extension services, best practices, HIV/AIDS, gender and environment.

How to make a living of CBNRM

One of the objectives of the workshop was to equip the participants with knowledge on how the communities could generate income from alternative sources, such as non timber forest products.

According to the participants from various MS-Zambia partners that objective was met.

Bridget Khunga, District Forest Officer at Mansa District Forest Office, said that she had been sensitised about the possibilities in by-product development, and she added that there was a lot more for the communities to learn on how to improve their products.

Francis Sakala, acting Extension Officer at SLAMU in Mfuwe, agreed to this point.

“The communities under ZAWA are solely dependant on the revenues from safari hunting, but it has become clear during this workshop, that there are other ways of utilising natural resources to generate income for the communities, like bee-keeping,” said Francis Sakala, who also learned how he as an extension officer could facilitate that process and offer better service for the communities.

Time for change

Michael Chulu, Chairperson of Mnkhanya Community Resource Board in Mfuwe said it is was now time for change.

“I have gained new ideas from the workshop on how the communities can be engaged in other income generating activities, for instance within agriculture, so that they are not only dependant on the wildlife,” Michael Chulu said.

The general feeling from the participants at the workshop was that the possibility of sharing experiences from the ground and discussing these had been very fruitful. Especially because not only had the problems within CBNRM been highlighted – possible solutions had also been discussed.

“It has come clear from this workshop that it is very important that we teach the communities to appreciate the importance of our natural resources and how the different resources affect each other,” said Bridget Khunga. She felt that an approach should be used focusing at all the natural resources to ensure sustainability.

Partners to take the action

As the workshop closed the participants expressed satisfaction with the workshop. But “we still have a lot of homework to do after this workshop”, said Bridget Khunga.

This is in line with the MS-Zambia Country Directors closing remarks where he said that as much as partners were supported by MS-Zambia, they themselves were responsible for taking the action.