When navigating one of southern Africa’s busiest border posts, a lot of patience is required. Situated around 70 kilometres east of the famous Victoria Falls, the Kazungula border post is where Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia meet. Due to it being situated at an important intersection between countries, it services more than just the tourism industry and sees hundreds of cargo trucks pass through each day.
The Herding 4 Health Apparatus at Kazungulo Border
Today, Simalaha’s Community Development Manager, Kabika Kumoyo has taken a trip down to the Kazungula border to help load important Herding 4 Health equipment onto the back of Simalaha Community Conservancy vehicles. This important delivery consists of cattle pens and tents, all of which will be distributed within the conservancy to help further support nature-friendly cattle herding programme.
What Is Herding 4 Health?
Initiated by Peace Parks Foundation and Conservation International, the Herding 4 Health programme was born out of the necessity to address human-wildlife conflict in and adjacent to protected areas.
For centuries gone by, livestock has been massively important to people living in Africa. This is still very true today. Not only do they provide milk and meat, but cattle are often used as a form of currency. It, therefore, goes without saying that these communities are extremely dependent on natural resources to ensure the survival of their livestock and, in turn, themselves.
Herding 4 Health is a community-driven approach aiming to address the challenges farmers face when living in and around protected conservation areas. It works with the local people to find sustainable ways to use what nature provides. This is done by implementing cattle grazing plans to avoid overgrazing and the construction of predator-proof bomas that reduce human-wildlife conflict. The programme also provides employment opportunities to help lift communities out of poverty.
A Success In Simalaha
With the programme having already been successfully rolled out in Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana, it has recently expanded into Zambia’s Simalaha Community Conservancy. Already, the programme is yielding positive results and continues to be rolled out across different communities within the Conservancy.
Peace Parks Foundation is extremely grateful towards the COmON Foundation as without their support, the expansion of the Herding 4 Health programme would not have been possible.
