Experts issue recommendations to save Zimbabwe’s wetlands

Over 100 experts from Zimbabwe’s government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector met in Harare on 6 August 2014 to discuss how to protect and maintain the country’s wetlands, threatened by erosion.

Participants called on the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate to improve the enforcement of wetland legislation. They also asked the Government to reward good wetland stewardship, for example by giving incentives to private companies that support wetlands.

Victoria Falls, a waterfall on the Zambezi River at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Copyright: Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Zimbabwe

Experts also called on the Government, through its Environmental Management Agency (EMA), to facilitate the development of a national wetland strategy. The EMA would also play an important role in generating and sharing information, including an evaluation of the status of the country’s wetlands.

Participants encouraged all stakeholders to engage in developing and implementing pilot projects aimed at improving the status of wetlands in both urban and rural areas.

Read the recommendations resulting from the meeting