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Over 60 stakeholders in Chimanimani District (Zimbabwe) are set to meet on 23 September 2021 under the World Bank funded Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) to validate  the nomination of the proposed Chimanimani Biosphere Reserve. The meeting will also update stakeholders on the progress of the nomination file and proposed zonation map. 

A biosphere reserve (BR) is an area that has been recognised for its unique mix of plants and animals, valued environment and sustainable way of life of the people who live and work within the Biosphere Reserve.

Hosted by the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) and the Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO (NatCom), the meeting will bring together key area stakeholders, including representatives from the Man and Biosphere (MAB) National Committee, Department of Civil Protection, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), local government departments, local chiefs and community representatives to considering endorsing  the nomination of the proposed Chimanimani Biosphere Reserve. 

As stakeholder engagement and shared decision making is a key aspect of the Biosphere Reserve designation and ongoing coordination, the stakeholder meeting is a crucial milestone in the nomination process, whereby all stakeholders will be updated about the progress of the nomination and validate the Biosphere Reserve draft dossier and proposed zonation map, which will indicate the proposed core areas, as well as buffer and transition zones of the Biosphere Reserve. The meeting will also pave the way forward for the nomination process and map out the next steps along with the key stakeholders. 

The meeting is the third major local stakeholder engagement session since the proposal to nominate Chimanimani as a Biosphere Reserve was mooted during the last regional MAB meeting hosted in Maputo, Mozambique in 2019. 

In June 2021, the first major stakeholder meeting was hosted by UNESCO ROSA in the district, and a task force was elected to lead the development of the nomination file and maps to outline the proposed area. The was soon after contracted to lead the nomination process, and will be presenting the draft dossier for stakeholders to endorse at the upcoming meeting. As a final step, the nomination file will be submitted to the UNESCO MAB International Coordinating Council (ICC) via the Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO. 

The nomination of the Biosphere Reserve is being implemented under the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP), as part of the Comprehensive Resilience Building in the Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts programme in partnership with and funded by the World Bank. It is also part of the UNESCO ROSA . 

Benefits of designating Chimanimani as a Biosphere Reserve and how it can be valuable in establishing sustainable ecosystem and development services:

Chimanimani District encompasses a wide variety of environmental conditions and supports a corresponding array of biological diversity. The goal of establishing the Chimanimani Biosphere Reserve is to conserve ecosystem and species biodiversity and protect the mountain ecosystem as a watershed, enhance the district’s resilience to climatic shocks and stresses, promote sustainable socio-economic development, and maintain and utilise local cultural resources and practices. 

The designation of the area as a Biosphere Reserve will play a crucial role not only in the sustainable development and ecosystem maintenance, but also contribute to the resilience building of an area recovering from past climate-driven destruction, and very vulnerable to future climate shocks. The impact of climate change was highlighted by the Cyclone Idai disaster in early 2019, which affected the livelihoods of over 270,000 people over nine districts. The Biosphere Reserve designation aims to help attract more support and funding to the district as well as foster income-generating opportunities for the local communities, such as products which can become internationally recognised as Biosphere Reserve branded products. 

The impact of climate change was highlighted by the Cyclone Idai disaster in early 2019, which affected the livelihoods of over 270,000 people over nine districts. The Biosphere Reserve designation aims to help attract more support and funding to the district as well as foster income-generating opportunities for the local communities.

As a Biosphere Reserve the district will also be promoted as a ‘living laboratory’ and vehicle for learning, research and monitoring, and to test interventions to mitigate climate shocks. It will facilitate people to work together to manage the whole area for a sustainable future. 

The planned socio-economic activities will focus on:

• Strengthening participatory, inclusive and coordinated biodiversity and climate change governance through government’s involvement of communities, civil society, private sector, academia
• Supporting socio- economic initiatives which enhance a healthy, self-sustaining district community with functional industries and diverse livelihood systems
• Transforming Chimanimani into a green economic zone
• Climate-proofing infrastructure planning and settlement designing and reducing industrial activities and settlement in ecologically sensitive areas; and
• Promotion and utilisation of culture, including indigenous and local knowledge to protect the environment and enhance livelihoods.

Consisting of 714 Biosphere sites in 129 countries, the – a world network of reserves – combines the natural and social sciences and is driven to improve human livelihoods while safeguarding precious natural ecosystems. 

The programme aims to demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development, through three key functions: conservation; learning and research; and sustainable development. They are vehicles for knowledge-sharing, research and monitoring, education and training, and participatory decision making. 

“Biosphere Reserves are about the future, and how local people can conserve the things they value – local knowledge, culture and the environment – whilst ensuring sustainable development. The designation is about encouraging and facilitating people to work together, to live in and manage the whole area for a sustainable future.”

Where they are established and well managed, Biosphere Reserves are known to bring the following benefits:

• Promote new sustainable income generating activities across sectors
• Add value to existing protected areas and community-based resource conservation
• Strengthening local identity and ownership
• Forming part of a strong international network and by generate international recognition
• Attracting additional initiatives from a larger group of interested national and international partners

The participatory and inclusive governance and management of natural resources will be based on respecting the rights of communities and enhancing their resilience while at the same time improving ecological resource base. This will support the generation of ecosystem services for the benefit of the people and the environment.