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Sifelani Tsiko

Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor

Africans should be motivated to take an interest in nature and wildlife conservation in order to amplify their voices and safeguard their interest in wildlife conservation which is beneficial to all sectors of the African economy, a senior African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) official says.

AWF vice president for species conservation and science Dr Phillip Muruthi said this at the prestigious Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition which was held recently in Harare to celebrate the African Wildlife Foundation’s 60th anniversary.

“Unfortunately, conservation and decisions about Africa’s wildlife have largely excluded Africans. The result is African people who are increasingly removed and disconnected from nature. The result – they aren’t asking their governments to make conservation a priority,” he said.

“And those of us that do care – and there are many that do, have little or no voice, no significant chance to share African perspectives and knowledge around our own natural heritage.”

He said there was a need to think and act much more ambitiously in regard to leadership and the promotion of the understanding of wildlife issues by Africans.

“From a rural classroom to the African political assemblies to United Nations negotiation rooms, and private sector boardrooms, we need to change the way we do conservation,” Dr Muruthi said.

“It can no longer be only about NGOs and their donors investing in protection agencies management plans, law enforcement work, research, and ranger patrols – without the majority of Africans becoming passionate and the unrelenting voice for the protection of wildlife.

“This shift ensures that Africans – especially the youth, step up and voice their interests in conservation of wildlife and wildlands. That as NGOs – our work needs to be owned and led by African institutions, governments, and people.”

The AWF, he said, would only become successful if it focussed its work in advising and assisting national governments and Africa’s people, especially young Africans, in navigating the transition towards economic modernity with a significant and representative compliment of wildlife and wildlands intact.

Zimbabwe on Tuesday this week hosted the prestigious Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition to celebrate the African Wildlife Foundation’s 60th anniversary.

The Mkapa Photo Awards is named to honour one of Africa’s most beloved leaders – Benjamin Mkapa who served as president of Tanzania from 1995 to 2005.

Mkapa was one of the longest-serving African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) trustees whose passion and commitment towards conservation and African leadership have inspired the conception of this annual global competition focused on bringing Africa to the world and the world to Africa.

In a speech read on his behalf by permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndhlovu said the exhibition was important to Africa in many ways.

“It inspires the African people to embrace and engage with nature. It raises awareness among our people about the importance of conserving nature which we depend on for our livelihoods and wellbeing,” he said.

“It reminds us of the unique natural heritage endowed to us, and the unique relationship we have to our wild animals and wild spaces.

“It depicts some of the challenges that we encounter in our conservation journey such as poaching, human wildlife conflict, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, and trafficking of wildlife products, among others. In so doing, it provokes thoughts and ideas of potential solutions and policy responses to these conservation challenges.”

Minister Ndhlovu said the exhibition reminded Africans about the possibility and importance of harmonious co-existence between humans and wildlife.

“The photographs tell the African conservation story in a more vivid way than a thousand words would,” he said.

The Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 Exhibition showcased some of nature’s finest photographs captured in Africa.