Categories and phases of Trans-boundary Conservation Area Networks in practice
Trans-frontier Conservation Area Networks (TFCAs) have proved critical in promoting trans-boundary and collaborative wildlife resource conservation efforts, occurring in serial stages of advancement, dependent on the particular features associated with each stage. A TFCA is an area that straddles the boundaries of two or more countries where natural and cultural resources are collaboratively managed by governments and authorities involved.
The first category, A represents already established TFCAs with highly functional and operative systems. These are characterized by established legal and formal instruments; institutions inclusive of Memoranda of agreement binding member states and associated stakeholders. Category B, which involves management of conservancies is intermediate to category A. This category takes into account TFCAs comprising primarily of memoranda of understandings among the member states and stakeholders involved. This is a more advanced stage of category C, which comprises TFCAs at a concept level. These are initial and are at the build-up level of advancement into category B. Today, a number of countries have notably adopted the implementation of TFCAs. This can be seen in Kenya and Tanzania for collaborative management of the wildebeests, conservancies and many more.
Trans-frontier Conservation area Networks have been identified as a tool to aid and promote collaborative, trans-boundary and international conservation efforts among member states engaged in a common TFCA program. Southern Africa today has over 18 ongoing and running TFCA programs among the SADC member states. These have aided in addressing and fostering trans-boundary conservation efforts and challenges; and also sustainable utilisation of natural resources existent at international boundaries.
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