SA Hunters participated in the Wildlife Economy Conference held in Maputo, Mozambique recently. The two-day event, co-organised by the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), the Association of Safari Operators of Mozambique (AMOS), and Biofund, brought together government officials, development partners, and international conservation experts to rethink the role of conservation areas in national development.
Our conservation manager, Lizanne Nel, was specifically invited to share South Africa’s experiences in building a successful wildlife economy. She shared information on the nature and extent of the wildlife economy, different models for unlocking it, and statistics on economic and conservation impact. Enabling legislation, ownership or resource-use rights, a free-market economy and effective community governance structures were highlighted as critical enablers. Lizanne further advocated for the import role that well-regulated citizen hunting can play in conservation, food security and rural development.
Key conference themes included making wildlife-related activities more attractive and professional to attract national young talent; re-assessing conservation areas to better reflect modern contexts and contributing to the local economy; tangible economic benefits for local people and the role of regulated hunting as a lever for socio-economic transformation and food security.
