Limpopo National Park seeks 10 million euros to resettle 800 families

To this effect, LNP together with the Massingir district government and partners are in advanced stage of negotiations with the German Development Bank (KFW), to find a source to fund this operation.

This is the community of Mavoze, which settled inside the park perimeter several years ago with subsistence farming and livestock rearing as its main source of income. Unfortunately, often human settlements clash with government management plans for fauna and flora.

The resettlement process, which began in 2012, has already managed to get four communities out of the park. The latest was Bingo Chitar, made up of 200 families, and the construction of about 300 houses is underway to resettle the community in question, which has grown over time.

The removal of this community from the conservation area is crucial for ecotourism, seen as the main source of income, not only for conservation activities, but also for the subsistence of the communities through the transfer of part of the income resulting from tourism.

The fact was mentioned a few days ago in Massingir, by the district administrator, Esmeralda Muthemba, during an interview with AIM.

'Right now we need 10 million euros to remove the entire community of Mavoze, which is made up of 800 families. The resettlement process is taking too long, and one of the consequences is that the population has been growing over time and so the budget required for resettlement”, explained the park administrator.

This sum will be invested in housing, compensation for families, resettlement to the new areas identified, preparation of agricultural fields, construction of social infrastructures, among other activities associated with the exercise.

'This sum, in addition to the construction of houses, should cover expenses of building secondary infrastructures, such barns, animal pens, transportation of livestock and other belongings of the communities,' she pointed out.

Muthemba stressed that removal of communities living inside the park perimeter is irreversible, because the implementation of the plan to maximise the profitability of the conservation area depends on it. Furthermore, it is urgent to definitively resolve the human-wildlife conflict in the region, due to the risks and problems this entails.

Once completed the resettlement of the Mavoze community the next step will be the removal of the communities of Machamba with 135 families and Chinang with 145 families, both currently residing within the LNP.

The Park covers four districts of the northern part of Gaza province, namely Massingir, Mabalane, Mapai and Chicualacuala.

(AIM)