By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, May 23, Mana:  Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism, Chauncy Simwaka says embracing and implementing guidelines for Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) is key in achieving efficiency in the conservation of wildlife.

He said this on Thursday when Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) jointly launched the PAME guidelines in Kasungu.  

With funding from Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme, MUST and DNPW have developed the first ever guidelines for assessing the effectiveness of the management of protected areas to help improve biodiversity conservation through information sharing.

Said Simwaka: “These guidelines are the hope for the future of protected areas and a testament to our commitment to safeguarding wildlife.

“I urge everyone to internalise and integrate them in the management practices so that they have a lasting impact on the management of wildlife.”

He said it is pleasing that Malawi has become the first nation to come up with such guidelines in the sub-Saharan Africa, pointing out that some countries will be coming to learn from it.

In his remarks, MUST Head of Biological Sciences Department, Petros Chigwechokha, said the institution is proud to have taken the lead in the development of the guidelines.

“As an institution of higher learning, we promote excellence. We promote research that is geared towards the conservation of biodiversity.

“In this case we partnered with DNPW to develop the guidelines which are the first in this part of Africa and we are proud of that,” Chigwechokha said.

He said MUST is a key partner in the conservation of wildlife and will support the implementation of the guidelines through various means including training of DNPW staff to ensure there is effective management of protected areas.

The guidelines are also expected to help improve protected area management by harmonizing procedures for conducting PAME assessments and guide on the allocation of resources to protected areas in need, based on priorities identified systematically.

The BIOPAMA programme is an initiative that helps African, Caribbean and pacific countries to address their priorities for improved management and governance of biodiversity and natural resources through provision of tools, services and funding to conservation actors.

Malawi is a signatory to various regional and international agreements including the SADC Protocol on Wildlife Conservation, which strengthens the country’s commitment to protected area management and conservation.