A restored wetland in Zimbabwe’s Hwange District is drawing global praise for its integrated approach to conservation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods. Delegates attending the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) gained first-hand appreciation of the Kasibo Wetland Project, where a two-hectare garden, orchard, aquaculture system, and weirs…
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for a global shift in mindset and policy to protect the world’s wetlands, describing them as vital ecosystems under growing threat. This was said during the opening of the COP15 summit of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in Victoria Falls, Mnangagwa said wetlands provide essential services including water purification, flood…
Environmental leaders at the COP15 summit on wetlands have called for stronger enforcement mechanisms to prevent the continued degradation of wetlands, as countries face growing challenges in managing and restoring these critical ecosystems. The Global Wetland Report states that since 1970, wetlands have declined by 0.52% per year, amounting to the loss of over 411…
Land barons have illegally occupied more than 140 sites across Harare, prompting the city to turn to the courts in a bid to stop rampant and unregulated developments, parliament heard on Monday. City officials say the capital is experiencing a surge in illegal construction, including on ecologically sensitive wetlands and along roadways, with legal challenges…
Africa is facing an alarming rate of wetland degradation, with losses that may surpass the global average of 35% since 1970, warns Dr Julie Mulonga, Director of Wetlands International East Africa. She warned of widespread environmental and economic consequences unless urgent action is taken to restore and protect the continent’s rapidly disappearing wetlands. Ahead of…
The ongoing destruction of wetlands worldwide could result in the loss of up to $250 trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to the 2025 edition of the Global Wetland Outlook (GWO) released on Tuesday. Wetlands, which provide critical ecosystem services such as water filtration, flood protection, carbon storage, and support for agriculture and fisheries,…
By Yeukai Kaponda Located about 40 kilometers from Harare’s Central Business District, Chibvuti Farm in Goromonzi South District has long been known for its fertile soils and strong agricultural output. Now, this close-knit A1 farming community is showing how rural farmers are bravely confronting the harsh realities of a changing climate. Despite being situated in…
Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states have convened in Zimbabwe’s capital for the 43rd Joint Meeting of Ministers responsible for Energy and Water, with climate change, regional energy security, and water management high on the agenda. Energy and Power Development permanent secretary Dr Gloria Magombo, said the region is at a critical juncture, facing…
A leading Zimbabwean seed producer has stepped up preparations for the next farming season, with the majority of its maize seed already in storage. Valley Seed Company, a key supplier under the government’s climate-resilient Pfumvudza programme, has confirmed that 80% of its maize seed varieties are secured ahead of the 2025–26 summer cropping season. Business…
BirdLife Zimbabwe is ramping up efforts to stem the rapid degradation of the country’s vital wetlands, threatened by urban sprawl, unsustainable development, as the nation prepares to host a major global conservation summit. The conservation organisation is leading the push with government, communities, local authorities, and schools to raise awareness and implement practical solutions aimed…
