By Paul Sixpence
THE government of Zimbabwe recently adopted its third national biodiversity strategy and action plan. The policy will guide the country’s conservation actions between 2026 – 2030.
In a statement, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife underscored the importance of the policy in guiding national actions related to “wildlife, forestry, fisheries, bio-trade” aswell as sustainable development as envisioned under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The policy is hinged on three main priorities, mainly, “conservation and restoration of ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity; – sustainable use of biodiversity resources to support national development; and, fair and equitable benefit sharing, ensuring communities derive tangible value from stewardship.”
Beyond addressing national goals, the policy document responds to Zimbabwe’s international obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). National action plans and strategies assist State parties to the CBD to domesticate global commitments through national actions.
“The third National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) therefore represents both a national policy commitment and fulfillment of international obligations, while contributing to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF),” the statement further added
Experts echoed the importance of the policy in linking nature, conservation and economic development.
“The strategy is a great step in the right direction, especially considering that biodiversity is the pathway towards nature positivity which creates a convergence between climate change and nature conservation,” said Anglistone Sibanda, Chief Executive Officer at the Zimbabwe Climate Council. “Having a clear national strategy, with clear action plans creates opportunities for investment in biodiversity conservation, of which in turn impacts a number of economic sectors.”
Biodiversity conservation is critical to food and water security. Over the years, the country has faced challenges in environmental preservation and conservation. These challenges are becoming more pronounced through land degradation, pollution, invasion of wetlands, riverbed mining, bio-trade and threats to wildlife habitats. These threats were highlighted during the Ramsar COP15 meetings which Zimbabwe hosted in 2025.
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