National Parks and Wildlife Policy.

This National Parks and Wildlife Policy is a nationwide sectoral document that revises the previous policy of 1998 and reflects the Government’s desire to create an enabling environment that will enhance biodiversity conservation and transform wildlife into an economic asset that will contribute to national economic development and poverty reduction through promotion of nature-based tourism, creation of employment and increased local community participation in wildlife management. The Vision at the basis of the Policy is to have a national network of well-managed wildlife Protected Areas that support diverse and healthy wildlife populations that provide adequate environmental goods and services for the benefit of local and national economies by 2030. The principal objective of this Policy is to promote the conservation of wildlife as an environmental good for socio-economic benefits to the country. The specific objectives are (i) create enabling conditions for effective conservation of wildlife and sustainable growth of the sector; (ii) improve population of wildlife in depleted areas by reintroduction of wildlife species in protected areas and other conservation lands and conserve wildlife using Ecosystem/Landscape Management Approach; (iii) devolve wildlife user rights, costs and benefits to community and private landowners; (iv) unlock the economic potential of wildlife and performance of the sector; (v) minimalize Human-Wildlife Conflict; (vi) build capacity for wildlife management and conservation in the Sector; (vii) develop and promote research as a planning and management tool in wildlife management; (viii) mainstream multilateral environmental agreements in the conservation of wildlife; (ix) mainstream Climate Change and other emerging issues; (x) gender mainstreaming, HIV and AIDS and youth empowerment; and (xi) promote private sector and community participation in wildlife conservation.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the role of the protected areas and the protection of wildlife is important, thus the Government will work, inter alia, in order to (i) develop sustainable financing measures for Protected Areas; (ii) sustainably manage the existing protected areas and, where necessary, create additional categories of protected areas and conservation areas; (iii) decentralize the management of protected areas other than national parks to appropriate local community institutions; (iv) regulate establishment of extractive industries in protected areas, especially national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; (v) secure the physical extent of the boundaries of the parks and wildlife sanctuaries; (vi) prohibit consumptive utilization of wildlife in national parks; (vii) secure the physical extent of the boundaries of the Game Management Areas; (viii) develop measures and guidelines on Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC); (ix) develop a training strategy to enhance skills in wildlife management; (x) conduct, coordinate and facilitate regular research and monitoring in wildlife and other related disciplines; (xi) promote the use of multiple legal frameworks in the fight against organized wildlife crimes; (xii) promote the mainstreaming of climate mitigation and adaption measures in the management of wildlife; (xiii) develop strategies to protect wildlife from the impact of climate change.
As for Governance, through the agency responsible for wildlife management, Government will inter alia (i) administer laws and regulations; (ii) create a Wildlife Fund; (iii) conduct resource protection in protected areas; (iv) guarantee indemnity/legal protection to wildlife police officers when carrying out lawful wildlife duties; (v) develop infrastructure; (vi) mobilize resources; (vii) issue permits and concessions for both consumptive and non-consumptive resource use; (viii) set and collect appropriate Statutory fees on wildlife resource use; (ix) establish Public-Private Partnerships to enhance management of protected and other public conservation areas; (x) promote sustainable nature-based investments; (xi) Regulate the wildlife sector through appropriate legal framework; (xii) develop General Management Plans for Protected areas; (xiii) Provide problem animal control services to the public; (xiv) promote environmental conservation education and awareness;(xv) promote wildlife research, monitoring and information management and dissemination of information; (xvi) facilitate and provide extension services to the sector; and (xvii) promote equitable access to and use of wildlife resources.