Zimbabwe - Overview

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Zimbabwe is characterised by three phytogeographic regions, the Zambesian, the Afromontane and the East African coastal. The Zambesian region covers over 95% of the country. The Eastern Highlands form part of the Afromontane region and have the highest level of endemism, notably in the Chimanimani Mountains. The Zambesian phytogeographic region comprises five woodland types – miombo, mopane, teak, acacia and Terminalia/Combretum... More »

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

15% of the country is protected as National Parks, Forest Reserves and Botanic Gardens. Conservancies (private farmland and combined holdings managed for wildlife) make up approximately 17% of the country.

Percentage of Forest Cover

Zimbabwe’s land area is classified in the following categories: 0.03% is moist forest (tropical rainforest), 0.4% is Forest Plantation, 65.92% is indigenous woodland (including bushland), 4.85% is grassland, 27.47% is cultivated land, 0.36% is settlement and 0.97% is rock outcrop and water body.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Zimbabwe produced its NBSAP in 1998 and identified several key unmet needs to be addressed in terms of biodiversity conservation and management. These are: 1) the absence of comprehensive and elaborate biodiversity inventory and monitoring programmes; 2) Inadequate incentives for some local communities to undertake biodiversity conservation and sustainable use initiatives in both protected and non-protected areas; 3) Inadequate environmental awareness, education and training; 4) Limited appreciation of the importance of biodiversity to national economy and to local communities and policy makers; 5) Inadequate, conflicting and poorly enforced pieces of legislation that tend to adversely affect biodiversity conservation and sustainable use; 6) A limited financial base and institutional capacity to facilitate the formulation, implementation and monitoring of biodiversity projects at the local level; 7) Inadequate affordable alternatives to reduce the reliance on natural resources at the local level; 8) Inappropriate research and extension approached in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use... More »

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

Zimbabwe has implemented sectoral strategies in the agriculture, water and environment sectors. Protected areas are in fact increasing through the formation of private conservancies and the extension of wildlife ranges into rural areas through incentive use programmes such as CAMPFIRE, which promotes the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife and other natural resources outside protected areas... More »

Initiatives in Protected Areas

Protected areas were set aside prior to the CBD and largely on the basis that the areas were marginal to agricultural and industrial development and because of their value for hunting of big game. Fortunately the areas also cover large biomes such as teak and mopane, but threatened species were not targeted.

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

The Environmental Management Act (EMA) of 2003 provides the building blocks for a more comprehensive national access and benefit-sharing framework. Under the EMA, regulations entitled Access to Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Regulations, 2006 have been developed and are awaiting approval by Parliament. The Statutory Instrument advocates the need for an equitable access regime and benefit sharing mechanism for traditional medicinal plants, as well as intellectual property rights that recognise the contribution of indigenous knowledge to primary health care and to the development of modern medicines... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Mr. I.D. Kunene	CBD Primary NFP, SBSTTA NFP, GTI NFP
Mr. C. Chipato	CHM NFP
Mr. Gladman Chibememe	Traditional Knowledge NFP
Dr. Claid Mujaju	GSPC NFP
Mr. Abisai Mafa	CHM Informal Advisory Committee

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management	Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP
Jonathan Mufandaedza	BCH NFP