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ISSUES:
POVERTY
The Park boundary communities live on marginal agricultural
land, their crops often blighted by pests and poor rains, with
little or no access to basic health and education facilities
and clean water. Simple needs such as fuel wood or thatching
grass are difficult to find and food to sustain them through
bad years is hard to come by.
CONFLICT
"Government of the people for the people", the National Park
belongs to the Government thus it surely means that it belongs
to the people! In 1995/6 the Park was invaded by villagers seeking
their due rewards and the wildlife was devastated. Much of the
electric fence around the Park was destroyed and used for snare
wire to kill animals. Elephant and hippopotamus were the only
big mammals to survive largely untouched, with no fence - no
barrier, and crops and property were damaged by the marauding
herds.
RECOVERY?
The Park has witnessed an extraordinary recovery, especially
amongst the antelope populations, mainly due to donor support
for the replacement of two thirds of the fence. Unfortunately
most of these donors have since moved on, leaving an under-funded
Park management battling against increasing pressure from the
impoverished population on its boundaries.
SOLUTIONS
These are aplenty but only time, effort and substantial assistance
will achieve the goal of long-term sustainability of this environmental
gem and the welfare of the people on its boundaries. CHINGUNI
TRUST will endeavour to address some of the priorities towards
this end. |
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