“The opening of Ngonye Falls Park in Zambia is a crucial wildlife corridor between national parks of five Africans countries. It lies a few hundred kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls. Its one of the main wildlife corridors between Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia.
The Zambian Minister of Tourism, Masebo paid tribute to the development partners who have been supporting the Ngonye Falls Park, notably the Federal Republic of Germany for funding the operations of the park for the last two years, the training of staff and the acquisition of equipment.
The Minister said that the five partner countries of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe want to mutually conserve their natural resources in a sustainable way that will benefit the local communities and will eventually reduce rural poverty. The opening of Ngonye Falls is a step in the further development of the area.
“The partnership between communities and their natural resources is the key element to the sustainable management of national parks and, if established correctly, also the key element in combatting rural poverty.” Masebo also said that the KAZA TFCA combines economic, ecological and social development and could become the shining example for sustainable development in the region.
In Kabula Village in the Ngonye Falls Park is an elephant restraining line erected around Kabula Village. An elephant restraining line consists of electrified wires that run two metres above ground, thereby allowing communities free movement while protecting crops from elephants. T
The elephant restraining line has proven tremendously successful and there has not been a single breach by elephants since its erection. Dr Victor Siamudaala, executive director of KAZA TFCA, welcomed this development, saying that all five partner countries’ concerted efforts were needed to achieve their commitment to regional economic integration through the sustainable management of transboundary natural resources and tourism development.
Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta said that the Conservancy would be an important area in KAZA TFCA to re-establish wildlife populations and their migration routes to the benefit of the local communities. He also reminded all of the Conservancy’s significance to the KAZA TFCA, as it will ultimately link Chobe National Park in Botswana to Kafue National Park in Zambia. The Senior Chief thanked the development partners of the Simalaha Community Conservancy, notably the Mava Foundation for Nature and the Swedish Postcode Lottery for their support.
DEC