The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) actively participated in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Summit, held from 19 to 23 May 2025, in Harare, Zimbabwe. The summit, themed “Transfrontier Conservation Areas: 25 Years of Cooperation for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development,” marked a significant milestone in regional conservation efforts.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, Chairperson of SADC, emphasized the importance of community involvement in conservation efforts: “Our strategies must continue to place communities at the centre of every initiative, not only as stakeholders, but as co-creators and primary beneficiaries.”
CCARDESA's Executive Director, Professor Cliff Dlamini, accompanied by Board Chair Professor Lala Razanjafira, represented the organization at this high-level event. Their presence underscored CCARDESA's commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practices that align with regional conservation and development goals.
Prof. Cliff Dlamini in an interview said that “For us at CCARDESA, all TFCA Matter because they reflect our regional integration goals”. He highlighted that CCARDESA has mainstreamed biodiversity, conservation and climate resilience into its programmes.
CCARDESA's involvement in the summit highlights its role in supporting agricultural research and development that contributes to environmental conservation and resilience. By engaging in dialogues on TFCAs, CCARDESA aims to integrate agricultural productivity with biodiversity conservation, ensuring that farming communities benefit from and contribute to sustainable natural resource management.
The organization's participation also reflects its dedication to collaborating with regional partners to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable livelihoods. Through such engagements, CCARDESA continues to play a pivotal role in shaping policies and practices that balance agricultural development with ecological preservation in the SADC.
The summit brought together Heads of State and Government from SADC member countries, ministers, and key stakeholders to reaffirm political commitment to TFCA development, promote investment, and enhance cross-sectoral integration. Discussions focused on the successes and challenges of transboundary natural resource management and the role of TFCAs in fostering regional integration and sustainable development.
SADC leaders urged member states to strengthen the meaningful and active participation of rural communities, including youth, in TFCAs and stressed the importance of accountability to ensure equitable benefit-sharing in fostering inclusive conservation efforts across the region’s TFCAs
The Summit also called for the development of tailor-made, practical, and effective approaches to address increased human-wildlife conflicts, involving all relevant development and conservation sectors.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to collaborative efforts in transboundary conservation, emphasizing the need for innovative financing mechanisms, strengthened legal frameworks, and inclusive governance to ensure the sustainability of TFCAs and the well-being of communities across the SADC region. The summit was funded by the Germany government and the European Union.
