WPAZ 2022 Q1 Newsletter
WPAZ continues to grow the wildlife economy through partnership engagement, membership engagement, policy and communications activities. The following are the activities that were conducted in the first half of the year: membership growth, lobbying and advocacy work, capacity building, the state of Zambia’s wildlife economy report, communication activities, and partnership meetings.
The PS of Ministry of Tourism with WPAZ’s Chairman at the AGM
HIGHLIGHTS
Capacity building to community game ranch
WPAZ joins TCZ board and PPDF technical working group
Increased partnership engagements
Membership matters
WPAZ’s membership is steadily increasing. The Association welcomed five new associate members in the first year. Majority of applicants have been individual legal game meat sellers that expressed interest in joining the organisation; this is a great sign that individuals want to be a part of the wildlife value chain and that WPAZ is recognised as the ideal organisation that is fostering the expansion of the wildlife economy.
2022 AGM
In May, the Association held a physical Annual General Meeting that was graced with the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism Mr. Evans Muhanga, a great turnout from our members and partners, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Wildlife Crime Prevention, Zambia Community Resource Boards Association, World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and USAID-Integrated Land and Resource Governance.
Matt Sommerville from ILRG speaking at the AGM
USAID Deliverables: Capacity building on setting up a meat processing business
In partnership with Delicasa Butchery and Kachema Meat, the WPAZ Secretariat organised an exposure tour to the abattoir and Delicasa Butchery for Ntambu Community Game Ranch in June. The committee members learned about the legislative prerequisites for establishing an abattoir and butchery administration. They were also equipped with information on the processing of beef and game meat, setting up a shop, and the necessary machines needed to run an abattoir and butchery.
WPAZ will continue to contribute towards the capacity of community game ranches.
Ntambu Community Ranch at Delicasa Butchery
USAID Deliverable: State of Zambia’s Wildlife Economy Report
In January, WPAZ, in conjunction with African Leadership University (ALU), School of Wildlife Conservation, held an inception meeting for the State of the Wildlife Economy study in Zambia. The virtual meeting was attended by over 30 participants, which included different institutions from the government, civil society, development partners, and universities. The aim of the workshop was to understand the importance of the wildlife economy and to go through an overview of the case study. During the discussion, participants were asked to identify what data on the wildlife economy is available, where it can be obtained, who should be contacted, and what gaps exist. This information was useful in gathering data for the report.
Following the inception workshop, WPAZ and ALU hosted a validation workshop on the State of the Wildlife Economy Zambia report in July, which was sponsored by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). The study reviews some of the opportunities and challenges and highlights the current state of Zambia’s wildlife industry. Over 40 participants attended the workshop, both virtual and physical.
Communication and awareness
WPAZ continues to promote the Association and the legal meat industry through various platforms such as social media, radio, and print media. For the period in review, WPAZ has appeared on Dr Mujajati’s live show, Power FM, and Hot FM radio, talking about the work we do in increasing awareness on the wildlife economy and talking about legal game meat as an alternative to illegal bushmeat.
WPAZ provided wildlife management capacity building for two community game ranches in 2021. The Zambian Farmer Magazine’s July 2022 issue featured a capacity building story that highlighted the work done with Nyalugwe and COMACO. The article can be accessed through this link https://issuu.com/zambianfarmer/docs/znfu_july_new_2022_edited
In collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), WPAZ is finalising the production of two advisory materials for new game ranchers. These advisory materials include information on how to set up a game ranch as well as how to manage one.
In May, WPAZ was invited to speak at Zimbabwe’s “Taste of Game Night” dialogue. The dialogue aimed to investigate the game meat landscape in support of Africa’s Wildlife Economies, with a particular emphasis on Zimbabwe, the game industry, and the state of African Wildlife Economies. WPAZ hopes to host 2023 Taste of Game Zambia.
WPAZ’s Executive Director, Chanda Mwale at Taste of Game Night
Lobby and advocacy
WPAZ was nominated to serve on the Tourism Council of Zambia’s executive committee. TCZ has been earmarked by the current government as the key private sector engagement partner in the wildlife and tourism sector. An important role that will assist the organisation in lobbying for issues that impact both the private and community wildlife estates as well as the wildlife sector.
Through the TCZ executive committee appointment, WPAZ has been assigned to the tourism technical working group of the Public-Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF), which has been re-vamped/re- invigorated by the President of Zambia as the primary mechanism through which the private sector will engage the government and raise policy problems for resolution. This platform is vital for the group as it will assist in addressing challenges that private wildlife estates face.
Partnership meetings
In the first half of the year , WPAZ held a number of local and regional meetings with the goal of exchanging knowledge and identifying ways to encourage the expansion of the wildlife economy in Zambia and Southern Africa. Regional meetings were held with the Private Rhino Owners Association and Municipal Health, both from South Africa. Locally, held meetings with Department of Veterinary Services.
In the majority of the discussions, the need for clear legislation for the wildlife economy was raised. This problem must be addressed as it will provide an enabling policy climate for business to thrive. To address the aforementioned issues, WPAZ has been collaborating with the government to update the Statutory Instrument (SI) of private wildlife estates. The association submitted the SI to the Ministry of Tourism and Arts in 2019. The SI has explored solutions to enhance the business of Zambia’s private wildlife estates. Until the completion of the amendment of the Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015, work on the SI cannot begin. Therefore WPAZ remains in contact with DNPW, who are also willing to see this piece of legislation passed.
The Association also held its first partnership meeting for the year on Zambia’s wildlife legislation. Many of the partners shared experiences on the challenges faced and the best way to engage with the government when lobbying for wildlife issues. Updates on the Wildlife Act, Statutory Instruments, and Community Resource Boards were among the issues discussed in the meeting.
The meeting’s outputs included the recommendation that partners keep an ear to the ground and ensure that when the zero draft of the Wildlife Act is ready for validation, partners share the information and engage systematically. The partners should also focus on the Wildlife Act and cross- check the wildlife policy to ensure that all concerns are addressed, and the partners should continue to engage in addressing industry challenges.
The meeting was attended by partners from USIAD- Integrated Land and Resource Governance, Zambia Community Resource Boards Association, Frankfurt Zoological Society, The Nature Conservancy, Luangwa Safaris Association (Eco-Tourism Association of Zambia), and WPAZ’s technical advisors.
Meeting with Department of Veterinary Services
Regional meeting with Municipal Health in South Africa
PARTNERSHIPS
The capacity building of Ntambu and Nyalugwe communities would not hav ebeen possible without COMACO and West Lunga Conservation Project.
Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Department of Veterinary Services and Wildlife Crime Prevention remain key to helping us achieve our goals of supplying legal game meat to the Zambian market.
