Holistic management of African rangelands

Constance L. Neely and Jody Butterfield Of partnerships and promises The Africa Centre for Holistic Management is a local not-for- The saying goes that if we keep making the same decisions, we profit organization, established by Zimbabweans to reverse this will continue to get the same results. So what do we need to situation meaningfully over time. Located near the Wange change to attain sustainable landscapes and livelihoods? In the Community and just 22 km from Victoria Falls, the Centre has case of the Wange community and the Africa Centre for Holistic been able to demonstrate on its own property that the land, water Management in , a picture of creative partnerships and biological resource base can be healed. The Africa Centre is and holistic decision-making is helping restore the natural situated on an 8000 ha property comprised of private and state resource base and empower the community members whose land – known as Dimbangombe. The property is separated from livelihoods depend on it. The term holistic is used because the the Wange Community by a patch of state forest land and a main land cannot be viewed separately from the social, cultural and road that runs along the community’s western edge to Victoria economic aspects of a community. Falls. Dimbangombe is one of many properties that make up a single contiguous wildlife range stretching from the Hwange Degraded lands, diminished lives National Park in southwest Zimbabwe to the Zambezi National The Wange Community typifies rural communities in Sub- Park in the north, and into the surrounding wildlife reserves of Saharan Africa, most of which are plagued with the problems of Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. This area is known for its big ; drying of rivers, impoundments and boreholes; game – lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, roan and sable people living in poverty; increasing spread of AIDS and antelope – and a rich array of birds. infectious diseases; constantly failing crops and dwindling livestock; and the exodus of young people. The list can go on, In 1994, Dimbangombe was donated to the Africa Centre to be but it need not. Livelihoods are dependent on agriculture, used as a Holistic Management demonstration and learning site forestry, livestock, wildlife and tourism. Yet land, water and and training centre for the Southern Africa region. The Africa , once vibrant in the area and critical to these Centre staff realized that the villagers in the Wange Community livelihoods, have been so dramatically impacted by human would be important partners in this venture and began to build a influences that they have threatened the Wange peoples’ lives relationship with them through village meetings and workshops. and way of life. Community leaders were invited to serve on the Africa Centre’s Board of Trustees. Within three years Africa Centre staff had “Before we didn’t know what we could do. We’d seen the land get produced 14 village-based trainers – two each from the seven worse and worse, the rivers stop flowing, the grass stop villages nearest to Dimbangombe. Today, all five chiefs in the growing.” Selinah Ndubiwa. Wange Community serve as Trustees and commit significant DECEMBER 2004 . Photos: Allan Savory The picture on the left shows livestock, accompanied by herders, soon after they were brought to the demonstration site and planned grazing LEISA MAGAZINE LEISA MAGAZINE began. The picture on the right shows the improved condition of livestock after one year of planned grazing. 26 LEISA MAGAZINE . DECEMBER 2004 27 enough excess forage to provide thatch for their homes for forage to provide enough excess

n land. Africa Centre staff and a village-based trainer showed Africa Centre staff n land. ow

aking time and decisions ept to their plan through the growing season. By the end of the ept to their plan through the growing xperienced the same results a few years earlier, managing to earlier, years xperienced the same results a few

gr T their to view Using Holistic Management, people begin in turn which affects way, new management options in a whole This approach is management decisions. make they the way the system When one views simple. elegantly and yet innovative for themselves and also noted that the Dimbangombe River was and also noted that the Dimbangombe River for themselves once more. flowing the idea a try on their One group decided to give of villagers ow to plan the grazing more or less for their herd and they them how k but had significantlyseason they than previously, more forage neighbouring villagers soon poached the grass because theirs are committed to trying they again in the had run out. However, Another group of villagers had season. coming growing e the first lost much of it to poachers and but they time in years, education to challenge is to extend Africa Centre’s The up. gave more villagers so there will be no need to poach grass many with the are working In the meantime, the staff from each other. chiefs to address the problem. it was realized they when became interested “The people really not the causing the land to deteriorate, were people who could fix doing it then we it.” animals. If people were Selina Ndubiwa. is best level The impact of the project at the watershed in 2004. illustrated with pictures taken land, once-dry land can be turned into rich “It is amazing how it can be revived.” – how cover and ground in terms of water Community member. Elephants that share the renewed water sources and fodder and water sources the renewed Elephants that share in Dimbangombe. now available Photo: Allan Savory Allan Photo: not , time and occurs when an animal returnsand occurs when to a grass ergrazing really is. is a function of is. Overgrazing ergrazing really ange villagers are working to make livelihood decisions based livelihood to make ange villagers are working hen they chip sealed soil surfaces, and knock down dead plants dead chip sealed soil surfaces, and knock down hen they atersheds – in a sustainable fashion, making sound livelihood atersheds – in a sustainable et, perhaps what has not been recognized universally is what universally recognized has not been et, perhaps what or instance, overgrazing has been faulted has been for degrading lands. or instance, overgrazing By taking in starving livestock from the Wange Community, the Community, Wange from the By taking in starving livestock increasing the the animals, but by saved Africa Centre not only to demonstrate how able herd size from 100 to 600 animals was The land the herd size can be beneficial, if managed correctly. significantly in terms of forage production and groundimproved and so did the condition of the years; two the next over cover The villagers could see the changes animals within a single year. ov By combining small groups herds and of animals into larger herdsmen maximize forage moves, planning their daily production and the benefits – the hoof action of animal impact as the dung and urine that fertilize the of the animals as well soil. By mimicking the wild herds that roamed these lands in the minimize overgrazing they moving, livestock past and keeping time leads to increased ground cover. over of plants, which soil being used as a tool for improving are, in effect, Livestock penetration, seed germination, and increasing aeration, water again to flow begin Rivers and productivity. species diversity leading also to retention in soils is increased, because water These elements, combined more secure and lasting boreholes. such approaches to protecting livestock with predator-friendly populations of as lion-proof kraals, enhance the habitat for large and flourish. wildlife to grow F Y When animals are plant before it has had time to regenerate. the plants before will indeed revisit at will, they to roam allowed animals are herded so as to when However, plants can recover. do not re-graze have ensure that they plants before they governs Time is no longer an issue. then overgrazing recovered, enhance soil health Animal hooves of trampling too. the effects w cause damage if But they more quickly. can decay so they animals remain in one place too long or return to it too soon. Timeless evolution – humans, livestock, and wildlife – humans, livestock, Timeless evolution W ecosystem that includes wildlife, on their vision of a healthy do that, a new To side-by-side. and people living livestock understanding of some old concepts is required. animal numbers Through its partnership with the Wange community, the Africa the community, Wange Through its partnership with the resource a model of sustainable Centre hopes to become and elsewhere be replicated in the region management that can of wildlife, and diversity Africa to restore land productivity, in in development all involved As local community livelihoods. is difficult societal change in today’s and more so know, challenges. is not without considerable so this work Zimbabwe, with the together Trustees, in this case the Chiefs as However are and the people in the community, Africa Centre of the staff of the to the lives making a difference but steadily slowly surrounding communities. to villagers are learning how Wange crops, and livestock, manage their natural resources – wildlife, w decisions without sacrificing their cultural values. time and energy to governance of the Africa Centre, which the Africa Centre, which of the to governance time and energy as “their Centre.” community views Photos: Allan Savory The picture on the left shows a typical river in the Wange Community. This picture was taken in late March 2004 at the end of an average rainfall year and, as can be seen, the area appeared to be suffering another drought. The picture on the right is of the Dimbangombe River and surrounding land, taken on the same day. Using Holistic Management grazing planning, the rehabilitated river represents “new water” as it was not previously flowing into the river but was being lost largely to soil surface evaporation.

through a holistic lens and monitors all of the ecosystem “The 20 000 acres of land impacted thus far is small in processes (water cycle, mineral cycle, energy flow, and comparison to the over one million acres of the Wange biological community dynamics) then management addresses communal lands, but it is their community example and learning the whole. One can manage animals to manage land, water, and site. The combined results of the village banks, the gardens, new biodiversity. herding techniques, and ecotourism education, is creating a shift – toward the community’s vision. This vision will not If one practice could renew our communities, land, water and materialize overnight – we like to refer to this as a 100-year biological diversity, it would be a different world today. Behind project – but the transformation is underway.” the good practices there must be a shift in how we view our ecosystem and our relationship to it. Holistic Management The community-based conservation programme guided by the offers the opportunity to simultaneously address the pillars of Africa Centre serves as a model that now needs to be replicated sustainability – economic, productive, environmental, social and throughout the communities within the Wange Communal cultural – for positive change. It involves the use of a practical Lands to restore degraded land, water quality, quantity of decision-making process that effectively deals with complex drinking water, and local community livelihoods. systems from a holistic perspective. The process starts with setting a holistic goal that ties together what people value most The Africa Centre has so far trained 13 graduates from South deeply in their lives with their life-supporting environment. Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe to be Holistic Management Through a planning process within a holistic framework, and by Certified Educators. They are in turn providing training in their testing decisions against these values and the condition of the own communities. In addition, the Centre’s Certified environment, people consistently make better decisions for Community Facilitator Programme develops trainers who work themselves and also the fauna, flora and environment on which in specific communities in the local language or dialect. These all life depends. two programmes are beginning to build the capacity needed to replicate the Africa Centre’s work with the Wange Community The community has a deep desire to change their course and elsewhere in Africa. sees the Africa Centre as a key partner for making that happen. ■ Building human and social capital is at the heart of helping today’s communities to regenerate their resource base and Constance L. Neely and Jody Butterfield. The Savory Center, 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, United States of America. Email:[email protected] ; become sustainable communities. The Africa Centre is building [email protected] ; website: www.holisticmanagement.org

DECEMBER 2004 the skills and capacity for solving local problems through a . number of education and training avenues. Through combining References training in Holistic Management with training related to village - Heyman, B., 2004. Can communities monitor the health of their ecosystems? Implementing the Dimbangombe Ecosystem Health Pilot Project. bank groups, village gardens, game guiding and Tufts University. other ecotourism skills, and by demonstrating that the land can - Nduiwa, S. and J. Butterfield, 2004. The Africa Centre – revitalizing a community. be restored, the community is gaining confidence that their In Practice (98), Nov-Dec. 2004. Albuquerque, New Mexico. - Savory, A. and J. Butterfield, 1999. Holistic Management: a new framework for lives in turn can change. Africa Centre Trustee Allan Savory decision making. Island Press, Washington DC. notes: - Smuts, J., 1970. Holism and Evolution. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut. LEISA MAGAZINE LEISA MAGAZINE 28