The Sunday Mail
Honourable Priscah Mupfumira
Vision 2030 and Zim’s aesthetic value
Zimbabwe boasts of extraordinary wealth in natural and cultural resources.
It has diverse flora and fauna, including rare endemic species, and a diversity of ethnic lifestyles and culture.
These resources are opportunities for development of tourism in Zimbabwe.
Tourism is a powerful tool which contributes, not only to ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, but also to the development of local communities and the nation at large.
Guided by the national vision, “Towards a Prosperous Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030”, as enunciated by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde ED Mnangagwa in his inaugural speech in November 2017, and the recently launched economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (2018-2020), my ministry is working towards attainment of the set targets in these two guiding documents.
In this regard, the environment and tourism sectors have the potential to contribute to the attainment of the goals and objectives of Vision 2030.
However, to achieve these goals and objectives, the environment and tourism need to be supported by the enabling sectors.
As part of our agenda, the ministry has come up with development frameworks to guide the development of the environment and tourism sectors.
These are: the National Environment Policy, the National Tourism Policy, the National Tourism Masterplan (2016-2035), and the National Tourism Strategy (2018-2028), whose strategic directions are aligned to the goals and objectives of Vision 2030.
The ministry has identified the following projects/programmes which are envisioned to contribute towards Vision 2030.
Tourism
The Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone has anchor projects through development of a convention centre, medical park, shopping malls, casinos, golf estates, hotels, lodges, an integrated sports park, a theme park, an amphitheatre, a financial services park, an educational park, an eco-park, cultural villages, waterfront resorts and health spas.
The ministry has been mandated with spearheading the development of the Victoria Falls SEZ, which is amongst the efforts by Government to attract FDI.
The concept of SEZs has gained currency worldwide as a vehicle for investment.
In light of the above, five nodes have been identified in the Victoria Falls SEZ, namely Binga, Hwange, Masuwe, Victoria Falls and Mlibizi.
In pursuit of this mandate, Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company, a special purpose vehicle of the ministry, has been allocated 271,5 hectares of land in Victoria Falls by Government for tourism development.
Then there is the development of tourism infrastructure in all provinces, and this entails conferencing facilities, hotels (including international brands), lodges and integrated sports facilities, golf estates, shopping malls, health spas, theme parks and water resorts, as well as revamping of conservancies.
Currently, Zimbabwe has 6 483 hotel rooms and a few conference facilities, with Harare International Conference Centre under the Rainbow Tourism Group being largest with capacity of 4 500.
The focus of the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry is to develop five community-based tourism enterprises (CBTES) per province by 2030.
CBTEs are tourism development enterprises run by a community through participation in planning, decision making and/or operation with benefit accruing to host community members.
Environment
The value of our wildlife resources is increasing as other countries no longer have such diverse wildlife species with high aesthetic and touristic value.
What we want to encourage and promote is a culture of tourism in the country so that Zimbabweans can enjoy their heritage.
The importance of wildlife to local communities is now globally recognised in community-based/participatory natural resources management programmes such as our Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) programme that is designed to benefit local communities living near wildlife.
Campfire is a Zimbabwean community-based natural resource management programme.
It is one of the first programmes to consider wildlife as renewable natural resources, while addressing the allocation of ownership to local people in and around conservation/protected areas.
Recently, Government reviewed Campfire with financial support from the European Union.
Zimbabwe is well positioned to be a model country that balances environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and economic emancipation of the rural poor.
My ministry will ensure the full potential of this sector is explored so that we march in solidarity towards an empowered upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Examples of successful Campfire projects are Masoka in Mbire, Mahenye in Chipinge and many others.
Forestry Commission
The land under forests producing timber in the country is only about two percent.
This small area, at its peak, contributed about three percent to GDP.
The forestry industry can contribute more than five percent to GDP.
Currently, about 5 000 people are employed in the industry but by 2030, 15 000 people will be employed. Another 50 000 people in downstream industries will be indirectly employed.
In rural and farming areas, forestry will boost the per capita income levels when smallholder farmers begin to harvest wood-lots, and sell poles, timber and fruits.
By 2030, more export products will be produced in marginal areas, therefore improving income and livelihoods to upper middle-income levels.
I have noted that currently we are losing 330 000 hectares per year to deforestation and veld fires.
Our efforts have been adding up to afforestation of 9 000 hectares per year, which is why the ministry has come up with the Accelerated Afforestation Programme.
Let us also not forget, colleagues, that yesterday was National Tree planting Day. Plant a tree and make a difference.
This is the message we are preaching to all Zimbabweans.
EMA
The role of the Environmental Management Agency, in the ministry’s mandate towards achievement of Vision 2030, is drawn from the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27), which includes — among other functions — promoting sustainable utilisation of natural resources and protection of the environment.
These two broad functions of EMA contribute to the ministry’s strategic vision, which states: “A healthy environment and sustainable tourism for socio-economic development by 2030.”
The theme emphasises the need for a clean, safe and healthy environment as a pre-requisite for a sustainable tourism that drives socio-economic development.
The achievement of this vision dovetails with the national vision of being a “Prosperous Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030”.
EMA, in this drive ensures that all developmental projects are subjected to environmental impact assessment processes before implementation.
This safeguards the environment and communities from negative impacts of projects, hence promoting ecosystems’ integrity, itself the backbone of nature and wildlife-based tourism.
The protection of the environment from pollution and degradation ensures a safe, clean and healthy environment that is good for tourism development, since tourism thrives on the aesthetic value of the environment.
Through environmental education and awareness, EMA instils environmental stewardship to the general public.
This creates an environmentally-conscious society that is essential in development of tourism products and services which define Destination Zimbabwe as a brand.
Honourable Priscah Mupfumira is the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry. She wrote this article for The Sunday Mail
