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An Overview Of Our Solution

The Soft Foot Alliance is dedicated to regenerating the lives and landscapes of the people and wildlife living on the edge of Hwange National Park Zimbabwe. Using the existing frameworks of Holistic management and Permaculture design we are implementing solutions to reverse the degradation of the landscape while tackling human, wildlife conflict. Working as a community to herd livestock in a way that mimic’s nature and regenerates grazing land while keeping livestock safe. Along with the use of simple mobile stockades or ‘bomas’ to keep livestock at night that have the dual advantage of being predator-proof and used to fertilize cropping fields. Part of the problem and the solution is how to get a whole community to work together and not just individuals? The Soft Foot Alliance through our initiative ‘Co-Herd’ have developed a framework where by skills training

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Rural

Organization type

Sin fines de lucro/No Gubernamental

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Forests

Grasslands

Population impacted

2,500 people +/-

Size of agricultural area

20,000 Ha

Production quantity

30% increase in crop yields (maize) increased grazing for livestock.

People employed

Describe your solution

Holistic Management is an existing design framework, most often used in relation to rangeland management where livestock mimic the movements of large herds of herbivores. In a natural well-balanced system herbivores movements are constant and tightly packed, in response to the presence of predators. This constant movement and pressure mean over-grazing never happens and grass has time to recover before the next grazing occurs. This in combination with the urine and manure left to fertilize and the lightly broken soil from the hooves allows for maximum rain infiltration. The current method of herding livestock in the area is practiced in small herds always in the same spots. Overgrazing, compacted soils and erosion are some of the pit falls of this practice. This compounded with lack of grazing in the long dry season means livestock are very weak and susceptible to diseases. Holistic management has the answers to these problems it is an idea born in Zimbabwe but despite this, and a fairly widespread knowledge, we weren’t seeing it put into practice. One of the main reasons that herders don’t stay with their livestock, whilst out grazing, is fear of lions. Lions have evolved alongside humans who hunt and kill them and fear the upright form of humans. Having herders work together, not only means that the landscape is regenerated but that the livestock is safe with several people present lions won’t attack. So how to give these men a desire to work together? When the job of a

Describe your implementation

Specific activities:Protecting livestock from predators through improved herding practices and zero-visibility bomas at night. Training in skills that can improve lives in a sustainable way. How you ensured your solution was adopted: The incentives of training the young men in specific skills, which improves the future and status of these herders. Skills will include permaculture design, especially in relation to growing food and improved natural building. The Herders are going to be building the workshop from Rammed earth a natural building method that is accepted by code in southern Africa but there is very little knowledge and training. Uniforms and mobile phones are supplied, to be visible and instil pride in this important job. The phones are used to communicate sightings of wildlife and spoor, and locations of any poaching activity. “Vuvuzelas” (plastic horns) are supplied to make a loud trumpeting sound if needed to scare away animals in the day or at night. Enabling conditions: Small grant funding to begin and dedicated local staff. Key success factors: The very rapid and visible results from using the mobile bomas, the community’s appreciation of the initiatives and investment in the future of herders The main obstacle is getting everyone to work together, this is something which takes time, and a lot of training and conflict resolution. Larger bomas were harder to get everyone on board, smaller bomas mean the benefits are the same and ownership means more investment in caring for it in the future.

External connections

The local community and leadership are key partners in this initiative, as are local concession holders on Forestry Commission land. Forestry Commission and National Parks are also key stakeholders engaged in these solutions, along with local scientific research organisations. Forestry Commission management are particularly invested as the community use this land for some of the grazing. This land is also used for firewood collection so initiatives like the rocket stove training are complimentary and supported by the Forestry Commission. Last but not least; Alan Savory and his Zimbabwe base, next to Victoria Falls, have been invaluable in the awareness and training needed to implement these solutions. Astrid Heulin of “Catch the rain” is also working to spread the word on Holistic Management throughout Southern Africa and an invaluable leader in this.

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest (and unfenced) protected area covering 14,500 sq kms, which is well known for its large population of elephants (approximately 40,000 elephants). Hwange is also home to a thriving population of Lions, Hyena’s, Cheetah’s, Leopard’s and many smaller predators who’s success depend on the strong population of herbivores, who in turn depend on the availability of good grazing, browsing and water. Communities living on the edge of the protected area in a communal land setting face the challenge of living with these animals as, Elephant’s and baboon’s raid crops, Lions and Hyena’s attack livestock. Climate change, erratic rainfall, poor soils, siltation of water sources are some of the issues that make these problems all the harder to live with. The soft Foot Alliance works on applying solutions to these problems within a holistic framework. First improving people’s lives by reversing the degradation of the landscape on which all people, livestoc

Describe the context in which you are operating

The Mabale communal lands borders Hwange National Park and the surrounding protected areas covering the eastern boundary. The main access road between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls acts as the boundary between these two unfenced areas. This whole area falls under the traditional leadership of Chief Nelukoba Dingani. Each village is comprised of homesteads and fields covering between 4-8 acres per family. 25 - 30 homesteads per village with +/- 12 people per homestead and between 3 and 20 cattle and 3 and15 goats per homestead. There are 12 villages in this particular ward. Livestock are kept, not primarily for meat, but rather as assets, for social status and for cultural status too. Young men, who have dropped out of school and seen as having little prospects usually herd livestock. Grazing takes place both in communal land and on forestry commission land, which is the wildlife area adjacent to the national park and across the main road to the communal area. The presence of wild animals means herders often leave livestock unattended, preferring to sit on the road and collect the herd at the end of the day. The main employment in the area is related to the photographic safari industry, this being said unemployment is still very high, 90% of people are unemployed. Subsistence rain-fed agriculture is the community’s main life source, with maize being the preferred crop over smaller traditional grains.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

Through improved herding practices, the landscape is being regenerated for the wildlife as well as the people. Improved grazing and effective rainfall have a positive impact on the ecosystem and improve life for all. This is a high-risk area for conflict with wildlife so strong herding practices stops any conflict with predators during the day. The mobile bomas protect livestock at night which means predators and their presence are tolerated more than when livestock are killed. The Co-Herd initiative gives uniforms to the herders so they are identifiable and report any poaching activities and collect wire snares, protecting all wildlife that pass in the area.

Language(s)

Shona, English

Water

The Ground is covered through the improved herding practices and the use of the mobile bomas. This maximises the penetration rate of rain into the soil, replenishing water sources and preventing topsoil from silting up water sources.

Food Security/Nutrition

Improved fertility of fields with a 30% increase in maize, fertility impacts other crops and the nutritional value of them, healthy soil, healthy food.

Economic/Sustainable Development

Creating opportunities to learn sustainable skills that improve the communities lives and enhance the standard of living while protecting the environment.

Climate

The improved herding practices maximises on the soils capacity to store carbon. The Holistic approach to the whole community with training in rocket stoves, natural building and permaculture means that peoples lives are improving but there is less impact on the environment. For example: Promoting the use of natural building instead of burning bricks reduces the trees being cut and the carbon released. This is creating a community who is resilient in the face of climate change.

Sustainability

Grant funding is needed to introduce the idea into an area, to build a simple training centre helps although is not essential and employ trainers in the first instance. The intention is to be sustainable within 4/5 years, where herders are training the next generations in both Holistic Management and their chosen specialist skill. The more that results are seen in an area, including fertilized fields, better crops and grazing all year round, the communities commitment can only grow.

Return on investment

$30,000 are currently being used in the development of this idea in this area, this includes, a vehicle and fuel, 3 salaries, the building of a rammed earth training centre, uniforms, cell phones for the herders and cell-phone airtime, 2 bomas, training in carpentry and the rammed earth building. This is a small investment for all of the social and environmental returns from the project. Further funding is needed to spread the bomas in the area, we believe that once these are co-owned by the community and the benefits are clearly visible, personal responsibility will be taken for any future repairs needed, and general upkeep.

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

Holistic management is used throughout the world and its benefits are clear to see, but this is often on land owned by individuals. The Co-Herd model of giving the community an incentive to take part can be replicated in areas where there is communal grazing. This is especially relevant in areas throughout Africa that deal with the same issues of predator conflict. To spread this initiative throughout the communities living around Hwange National Park and then the whole Kavango-Zambezi trans-frontier conservation area KAZA would have a huge impact on both communities and conservation. This covers five countries where the protected areas are linked Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Angola. The funds needed and the exact design of the system would vary slightly from place to place, taking into account all the physical, social and cultural aspects. The funds needed to spread this would depend on the several factors, particular to each space.

Overview

The Soft Foot Alliance