National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2025-2030).

Zimbabwe’s Third National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP3) is a multisectoral framework that marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, promote the sustainable use of natural capital, and unlock the potential of its biodiversity economy. The Strategy seeks to address the underlying drivers of biodiversity loss while positioning the biodiversity economy as a key sector for investment, economic growth, and sustainable development. It is aligned with Zimbabwe’s national development aspirations, as articulated in the National Vision. It is consistent with key international and continental development frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. The Strategy is structured around the following 3 strategic objectives, supported by 23 action-oriented targets (1) reduce threats to biodiversity; (2) ensure sustainable use of, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs); (3) strengthen the tools and enhance solutions for implementation and mainstreaming of the third NBSAP incorporating traditional knowledge, innovations, practices, and priorities of IPLCs in policy planning and implementation. Each strategic objective includes specific targets, actions, and indicators to measure progress. These targets cover key areas such as management of protected areas, species conservation, sustainable resource use, pollution reduction, climate resilience, access and benefit-sharing (ABS), capacity-building, gender equity, and green financing. The central logic of the NBSAP3 is that through targeted investments in conservation, sustainable use, inclusive governance, and biodiversity mainstreaming, Zimbabwe will generate the conditions necessary for safeguarding biodiversity and securing long-term human well-being.
Objective 1 seeks to reduce the threats to biodiversity and halt biodiversity loss by addressing key drivers such as land-use change, poaching, deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, habitat destruction, invasive alien species and climate change. It is pursued through eight targets focused on promoting integrated, participatory and biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning; restoring at least 30% of degraded terrestrial and inland water ecosystems; conserving at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas; preventing species extinction and protecting genetic diversity; managing human–wildlife conflicts; ensuring the sustainable, safe and legal use and trade of wild species; reducing the introduction and impact of invasive alien species by at least 50% by 2030; reducing pollution to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity; and minimizing the impacts of climate change while strengthening ecosystem resilience. Strategic Objective 2 seeks to meet people’s needs through the sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources, digital sequence information and associated traditional knowledge, with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. It aims to promote sustainable wildlife management that benefits communities, enhance biodiversity-friendly practices in agriculture, aquaculture, apiculture, fisheries and forestry, and restore and maintain nature’s contributions to human well-being, livelihoods and food security. The objective also promotes biodiversity-inclusive urban planning and improved access to green and blue spaces, while strengthening the legal, policy and institutional frameworks for access and benefit-sharing in line with the Nagoya Protocol. Strategic Objective 3 focuses on ensuring the effective implementation of the 2025–2030 strategy by mobilizing adequate financial, human and technical resources and mainstreaming biodiversity across all levels of government, sectors and society through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. It seeks to integrate biodiversity into policies, planning and decision-making; encourage businesses to assess and reduce their negative impacts on biodiversity; promote sustainable consumption and production; strengthen biosafety; and reform incentives that harm biodiversity while scaling up positive incentives for conservation. The objective also aims to mobilize at least US$200 million annually for biodiversity by 2030, strengthen capacity-building, technology transfer, scientific cooperation and knowledge management, and ensure inclusive participation in biodiversity-related decision-making. Furthermore, it emphasizes equitable access to information and justice, respect for the rights and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and gender equality in biodiversity governance and implementation.
Zimbabwe’s NBSAP3 financing plan adopts 5 complementary pillars: domestic public finance, international funding, private sector investment, market-based mechanisms and innovative finance to mobilize sustainable resources for biodiversity conservation. A National Biodiversity Fund will coordinate and manage funding from diverse sources, supported by capacity development, enabling policy and regulatory reforms, and strengthened financial governance. Risk management measures, transparent financial systems, regular audits, and monitoring and evaluation will help ensure efficient resource allocation, accountability and long-term financial sustainability through to 2030.