Most people living in this area, which stretches from Hwange National Park in south west Zimbabwe to Zambezi National Park in the north, did not know the significance of wildlife, livestock and mankind in a healthy eco-system. This was until the Africa Centre for Holistic Management, an international non-profit making organisation brought them the simple but efficient concept of making money from their environment while preserving it, through the establishment of Dingangombe College of Wildlife, Agriculture and Conservation Management in 1992.
The holistic management concept was developed by Allan Savory, a Zimbabwean–born ecologist, following a lengthy personal search for solutions to the land deterioration occurring in Africa and the human impoverishment that resulted from it.
Drastic change
After the inception of the programme, which concurrently addresses sustainability, economic production, environmental, social and cultural issues, the life of this community has drastically changed.
“Desertification or land degradation has destroyed many civilisations and is now threatening us globally. Years ago, working on this problem in Africa, we came up with a way to solve this problem. It was profoundly simple. It took the longest possible time to find. We faced many trials, errors, dead ends – but eventually by persevering, we found a way to begin solving this problem,” said Savory.
“Holistic management involves the use of a new decision-making framework that effectively deals with the ecosystem. By basing decisions on what people value most in life and the condition of the environment that would sustain what they value for centuries, people are consistently making better decisions for themselves and also for the environment on which all life depends,” he said.
Under the concept, Hwange villagers have already begun deriving direct benefits from their natural resources through the practice of permaculture in the gardens around their homesteads. This includes overall garden planning and specific compost worm farming and liquid manure techniques, which have resulted in the mushrooming of productive gardens that can feed more people.
Animals important
Savoury said animals were an important component in the restoration of the environment because they trample the grass so that the base of the plant is exposed. This enables plants to re-grow on the onset of the rainy season. Livestock also break the soil crust enabling air and water to penetrate so that more grass can grow. In Sianyanga village, the community had perennial water problems. There was no grass for livestock and crop yields were declining. The land had a hard cap at the surface and when it rained there was water run-off and the Nalomwe River was silted. The people had to take their livestock 15 km to the Gwayi River where they camped for most of the dry season.
Notable results have registered in the area after years of practicing the concept.
“The concept of holistic management has made wonders for me. Since I started practicing the concept my yield has greatly improved. The approach is less expensive,” said Allan Ngwenya, a farmer in the area.
Empowering communities to improve their lives and the lives of future generations by restoring their land and natural water sources requires addressing the root cause of land degradation as demonstrated by the Sianyanga, Sizinda and Monde communities land restoration projects.
Micro banks
The Africa Centre, through Dimbangombe College, also provides training to women in micro-leading and micro enterprise development and capitalises women’s micro banks. What is unique about these village banks is that they are linked with training in holistic management so that decisions taken by the participants yields positive results for the woman, their families, the land and the wildlife.
Over 2000 people in 10 villages in the area have also received training in holistic management in restoring the landscapes from facilitators trained at Dingangamombe Holistic Management Learning Site.
Under the landscape reclamation programme, the villagers combine small herds of their livestock and plan their grazing. By mimicking the wild herds of history and keeping stock moving, they minimise overgrazing of plants and increase ground cover. This practice improves soil aeration, water penetration and seed germination, and as a result most rivers in the area which ceased to flow long way back have started to flow again. Best of all, however, is this concept and the predator-friendly approaches to livestock production has created a conducive habitant for large populations of wildlife to flourish.
Considered a regional catalyst for sustainability, Dimbangombe is co-owned and managed by the Africa Centre and the village communities. The Hwange community plays an important role in the centre’s government through representation on the Board of Trustees, which includes among its members local chiefs.
Post published in: Environment