Zimbabwe Hunting Rakes in US$186,000

Harare - Mbire Rural District Council has earned US$106,000 while a number of wards in the district have also earned a total of US$80,000 for the first three months of this year's hunting season, Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema has said.

Speaking at a pass-out parade of Campfire game scouts in Mbire recently, Minister Nhema said he was pleased that Mbire RDC and its two safari operators Ingwe and Swainsons were channelling the money to council and communities through direct payments to ward level bank accounts every month.

"For the first three months of this year's hunting season, that is April to June, the council has earned US$106,000 while various wards have earned a total of US$80,000.

"I am also aware that a number of investments in equipment, such as vehicles and other projects at both the council and community level during the same period are part of this revenue," he said.

Minister Nhema urged local authorities' involved in safari hunting to adopt more innovative methods of providing the people with sufficient incentives to protect wildlife.

He said his ministry would continue to monitor compliance by local authorities to the obligations and conditions for the granting of appropriate authority to ensure transparency and accountability in the wildlife industry.

"It is clear that when benefits are too little, or have been spread across too many people, the linkage with improved conservation breaks down.

"My Ministry is aware that Mbire district since 2006 has not be granted a management quota to assist with some of the local official functions within the district," Minister Nhema said he would consider the request for two separate management quotas that would allow the district to administer its own management quota while the province managed the remainder.

Source: allafrica.com