51-55 SDI2/01 layout 13/6/00 9:35 am Page 51 Economic Growth Potential of the Transfrontier Conservation Areas in Southern Africa BE V E R L E E WI N N E T T SE E L I G, The Peace Parks Foundation, Somerset West, South Africa A B S T R A C T he Peace Parks Foundation is funding and facili- tating the development of Tr a n s f ro n t i e r TC o n s e rvation Areas (TFCAs) in Southern Africa, an initiative that is being embraced by the re g i o n ’s polit- ical leaders. The Foundation is encouraging the development of a partnership between govern m e n t agencies, local communities and the private sector, and is placing particular emphasis on the role of TFCAs in c reating new jobs in the travel and tourism economy, c o n s e rving biological diversity and promoting a culture of peace. The economic growth potential of these a reas is being investigated and compared with alter- native forms of land use. T F C AS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA In May 1990, Anton Rupert, President of WWF South Africa, met with Mozambique’s President Joaquim Chissano to discuss the possibility of establishing a pe r manent “link” between some of the protected area s in southern Mozambique and their adjacent counterparts in South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The res p e c - tive countries involved would co-ordinate wildlife management, immigration, tourism/development and other policies within this protected area. The concept of transborder protected area co-opera- tion through the establishment of “peace parks” is not a new one. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) had been p romoting their establishment because of the many potential benefits and by 1988 had identified at least 70 pr otected areas in 65 countries which straddle national fr ontiers. Southern Africa has long held great potential for peace parks, but conflicting national interests and ideolo- sector to help facilitate the creation of seven distinct TFCAs Figure 1 (top) gies have hampered effo r ts to realise this dream. With the throughout southern Africa (Figure 1). Incorporating Ecological bridges: seven pro- posed transfrontier conservation region experiencing peace for the first time this century, the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana and the areas th e r e has been renewed interest in the peace park concept. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa, the A World Bank rep o r t completed in 1996, req u e s t e d Kgalagadi Tra n s f r ontier Park, the first southern African TFCA, was formally approved by President Nelson Figure 2 (above) by the Mozambique Council of Ministers, suggested an Typical vista in the proposed Mandela and President Festus Mogae in April 1999. im p o r tant conceptual shift away from the idea of strictly Richtersveld/Ais-Ais Peace Park protected national parks towards greater emphasis on multiple res o u r ce use by local communities by introd u c i n g TFCA DEFINED the Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) concept. The 1996 World Bank rep o r t defined TFCAs as rel a t i v e l y The Peace Parks Foundation subsequently adopted la r ge tracts of land, which straddle frontiers between two this new paradigm and is working with regional govern- or more countries and cover large-scale natural systems ments, local communities, other NGOs and the private encompassing one or more protected areas. Ver y often SU S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T IN T E R N AT I O N A L 51 lations have traditionally C O N T E X T C O N C E P T people, can be achieved d the political boundaries Africa has the highest population growth rate of any major A fundamental premise of using TFCAs as a technology inclusion of people, previo extend far beyond desig- region in the world and the lowest prevalence of contra- for sustainable development is linking conserv a t i o n pr ocess of redignification. T d can incorporate such ceptive use. This high rate of growth has resulted in objectives with sustainable economic development in the within a community to ind b i o s p h e re re s e rves and a unprecedented human demands for food, fuel, shelter s u rrounding communities. Ve ry poor people, stru g- in the process. Where approp based natural re s o u rc e and water, and a level of land transformation by pastoral, gling at the edge of subsistence and preoccupied with ni t y , cultural tourism can sustainable use zones. For agricultural and urban development and by alien plant day-to-day survival, have limited ability to plan ahead, community to share their u ional parks as an anchor, en c r oachment that has destroyed or fragmented natural and often have little choice but to degrade or over-e x p l o i t A final objective of TF ned by private landowners habitats throughout the continent (World Resources any available natural resources (Mink, 1993). envisioned by The Peac ed in an economically Institute, 1994). Income earned through conservation and the emergi n g cr eation. Tourism holds man ally sustainable way. Against this backdrop, it is now widely accepted that tourism industry must replace opportunities lost to the It can help retain employm the mammals of Africa face a bleak future, a consequence local communities for their subsistence use of res o u rc e s sify employment and enco of a combination of factors directly and indire c t l y fr om potential “conservation areas”. In other words, the in the work force by wome influenced by the activities of man (Balmford et al., 1995; economic value of conservation/sustainable use must be Happold, 1995). As in other parts of the world, the made greater than that of exhaustive consumption. existence of the parks, with their inherent restrictions A fundamental component of this strategy is the TOURISM AS AN ECONOM on natural resource consumption, has brought local c o n s t ructive engagement of the local population, Citing the unique divers communities into direct conflict with conserv a t i o n founded on the recognition that local communities are heritages, The World Tr a departments. frequently acutely aware of the scarcity of the natural pr edicts that, based on gr Rural communities rely to a large extent on the res o u r ces and are in sympathy with the need to practise and eco-tourism and inde land for their livelihood: trees supply building material sustainable use. In this case, the local populations are of southern Africa are set and charcoal; land is cleared to grow crops on a subsis- not threats, but can rather be seen as potential partn e r s . players (World Travel and tence basis; and nuts, fruits and game are harvested to The growth in nature- b a s e supplement daily dietary req u i r ements. Unfortu n a t e l y , has been dramatic, and alrea this utilisation is not always done on a sustainable AGENDA 21 AND THE TFCA MODEL fo r ce in many of the econ basis: charcoal production, uncontrolled hunting and slash- While previous international agreements re c o g n i s e d Botswana, tourism earni n g s and-burn agriculture have taken their toll on the land the importance of addressing local population needs with making the industry the third- l a while providing only a marginal living for the people who respect to protected areas (World National Parks after diamonds (worth some live in and around the conservation area. C o n f e rence, 1982 and MAB/UNESCO Biosphere (EIU, 1999). The WTTC/W Recognising that hostility toward the parks by local Re s e r ves Action Plan, 1984), the Rio Earth Summit in decade the economic contri communities could lead to fragmentation of park 1992 underscored the idea that there could be no the SADC region could grow re s o u rces (either through illegal hunting and conservation without sustainable development for the work and implementation, h a rvesting or pre s s u re to deproclaim certain are a s ) , af fected communities in and around conservation area s . the world average expectat parks officials and conservationists in southern Much like Agenda 21, the TFCA model relies on a Africa are now looking to innovative programmes to pa r tnership between the government, private sector and T F C AS AND TOURISM include local communities in decision-making and local communities to achieve its objectives. The partn e r - Tourism has the potential to show the benefits of protected areas. Conserva t i o n ship itself can take many forms. For example, communities th r oughout the economy prov in Africa can no longer be constrained by rigid park can be stakeholders in safari concessions managed by Of equal importance, it has boundaries and make protecting wildlife its only objec- co m m e r cial operators, a national parks department can for broader social and econo tive. Conservation in Africa must be used to cre a t e manage, with conservation objectives, large tracts of industries such as mining sustainable economic and development opport u n i- land held by private owners, or micro- e n t re p re n e u r s does not take people ou ties for Africans.