The 2nd African Protected Area Directors (APAD) Conference 2024
Date: 5th – 8th March 2024
Venue: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Organized by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority with the support of APAD, the African Wildlife Foundation and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV); this second African Protected Area Directors Conference took on the theme; “Africa’s protected and conserved areas at the heart of conservation-based sustainable development”. This conference is second to the inaugural IUCN Africa Protected and Conserved Areas Congress (APAC) held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2022 that focused on people and nature and made a strong commitment to deepen the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities and calling for inclusive and equitable governance through more integrated approaches to addressing climate change, biodiversity, health and human wildlife conflict nexus of issues involving all relevant stakeholders among others.
Key take-aways
As a result there are some key highlights and elements of follow up to be considered:
- This was a good opportunity to reinforce collaboration between the APADs and other stakeholders especially the IPLCs and youth. It is a major step towards concrete work on ground at the local, nation and regional levels and an open invitation to inclusion engagement and participation in the progressive work around the IPLCs
- Policy reforms: as a key area of development of good governance and management, policy adjustments, to mainstream IPLCs and youth was touched upon and is a key area to follow up. It is also essential to harmonize trans boundary policies for the common benefit of the PCAs /
- Partnership network for potential projects in terms of access to finance for scaling conservation efforts. Development partners shared valuable opportunities to be explored by APADs other specifying further the necessity to prove collaborative work with grassroots communities. As such there are diverse ventures and opportunities to diversify access to resources to support the work in PCAs and in achieving the climate and GBF goals and targets.
- Capacity building was also top of the list in terms of shared knowledge, documentation and shared tools for a common goal. All round capacity building needs were identified for respective fields that will ensure meaningful and impactful collaborative actions for the benefit of people and nature
- Financing and mobilization of resources for the actions remains a key aspect to tie in all the actions and ensure that the execution is well facilitated. As such development partners and governments and stakeholders must play their roles in ensuring that secured resources are sourced, planned for and allocated accordingly comprehensive actions and an eventual mechanism put in place for benefit sharing
Opportunities for youth engagement:
A general perspective is that there are several opportunities that can be explored within APADs engagement for inclusive governance of the PCAs.
- Redirecting more attention to Climate Adaptation and Mitigation within the PCAs
Give more importance to climate adaptation and mitigation as an integral part of engagements with APADs in conservation given that climate change is a leading challenge for the PCAs. Youth mobilization for active engagement in this aspect will reinforce efforts towards putting in place strategic climate planning in the PCAs.
- Building knowledge and documentation
Conservation knowledge especially indigenous knowledge is key to support conservation efforts. On ground Intergenerational knowledge transfer on traditional knowledge and practices ensures longevity and biodiversity conservation. Youth have the opportunity to play a key role in research, studies and documentation for evidence based advocacy for climate action.
- Capacity development
Given the need for Capacity development at all levels youth can play a key role in establishing education and training programs in technical skills in collaboration with the APADs. As both actors and beneficiaries regional groups mobilized around PCAs, that are trained and skilled will be more useful to the PCAs in the long run as they contribute to the conservation process.
- Communication and awareness raising
Use of communication tools, and materials to pass across information and to mobilize for action by the youth will be beneficial in terms of promoting knowledge around PCAs, these will also be basis to insight dialogues and contribute to the behavioral change of the communities. Various technologies can be used.
- Engagement in policy spaces and negotiations
Opportunities for youth leaders working in PCAs and who have practical level experience to contribute to the policy processes and dialogues is essential to ensuring inclusion of their voices. Engagement with APAD can be an avenue to the preparation and participation to these dialogues at the local and National levels, and support to international policy spaces. Deeper understanding in the policy issues will enable youth to horn their leadership and enrich their contributions in conservation and development processes.
- Nurture innovation and inventions
There exists a great potential in terms of innovations and inventions as solution to address climate change, biodiversity and habitat loss within PCAs. Investment in youth talent and nurturing to fruition the innovative ideas, put into perspective, could enhance local regional and trans boundary initiatives. APADs working with youth within the PCAs could benefit from this.
- Intergenerational dialogues and multistakeholder dialogues
Opportunity to reinforce intergenerational linkages and knowledge transfer to the younger generation through dialogues, round tables and caucuses. Indigenous knowledge and practices have been degraded over time and it is paramount that this is passed down to the next generations. This can also be facilitated in partnership with the APAD and professionals in a way that younger generations are gradually skilled to take on key roles within the PCAs.
