Strengthening Traditional Governance Systems for Sustainable Biodiversity Management in Southeastern Zimbabwe

Abstract

In pre-colonial Africa, local communities lived in harmony with nature and used indigenous knowledge systems and traditional authorities to manage biodiversity. The introduction of European colonial regimes in Africa eroded the traditional institutional framework and capacity for sustainable natural resource management. The post-independence governments tended to perpetuate the status quo. This study analyzed the contemporary traditional governance systems for biodiversity management and assessed the effectiveness of traditional institutions and methods in protecting the ecosystem. Key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth document interrogations corroborated and yielded valuable data that sustained the discourse. The study revealed that traditional governance systems in Zimbabwe have been significantly weakened by both colonial and post-independence governments that consolidated and centralized power. Traditional authority is marginalized in the governance of mainstream natural resources despite the fact that indigenes' culture imbues the conservation of natural resources. The study underscored the dire need for traditional authority to be restored and enhanced; the need for roles of traditional leaders and local people be clearly defined; the need for responsibilities and accountability of all actors to be emphasized; and the need for institutional capacities to be strengthened to ensure sustainable biodiversity management and livelihoods for the local communities.