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Abstract:
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"In 2006, five southern African countries pledged their support for the establishment of the Kavango-Zambezi Tranfrontier Conservation Area, also known as the KaZa TFCA. The driver behind this global commons is that it houses the largest population of African elephant left in the world. Sioma Ngweze National Park lies in the far-flung south-west corner of Zambia and is the least developed park in Zambia. Yet from a global commons perspective, it forms the geographic heart of the KaZa TFCA and is a corridor for elephants moving from Botswana into Zambia and Angola. International transboundary NGOs (Peace Parks Foundation and Conservation International) have recently taken a keen interest in the Park's status.
"As a result of the Park being inhabited, there is an overlay of three institutions operating an ancient traditional authority, a local government authority (District Commissioner and councillors), with the wildlife authorities being a relative newcomer.
"This is ironic considering land tenure in the Park is that of a state protected area. Elephant moving north through the Park need access to water, food and refuges. The Park's main riverfront is however, also home to over 4 000 people living a remote, subsistence existence and needing access to water and land for agriculture. The development challenge is to balance the needs of local people and with that of migrating elephants. Projects promoted by the transboundary NGOs so far include promoting conservation farming and chili production (for sale and use as an elephant deterrent). Human settlement and elephant corridors are also being mapped and there are plans to improve park infrastructure and implement a park management plan.
"Appropriate institutional change lies in a co-management agreement between residents of the park and park authorities for benefit sharing. Deproclaimation of key settled areas in the Park to a more appropriate status is also possible."
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