HARARE, May 29 (NewsDayLive) -The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife has noted disharmony in advocacy efforts as well as lax law enforcement as some of the setbacks stifling the effective preservation of wetlands.
Wetlands, which include mangroves, peatlands, and marshes, among other water bodies, play a pivotal role in the water cycle as they recharge underground water, reduce flood risks and serve as habitat for wildlife among other functions.
Speaking on the sidelines of a tour of three major wetlands in Harare, which also served as the official launch of the “Voices of Zimbabwe on Wetlands” campaign, committee chairperson Sam Matema said Parliament had partnered diverse stakeholders across the board to reinforce a holistic approach towards wetlands management.
“We (legislators) want to amplify the Zimbabwean voice, adopting a whole of society approach where everyone has to take an active role in terms of having conversations around this very important asset or infrastructure called wetlands,” Matema told journalists.
“Wetlands are key and critical, here we are talking of the kidneys of the environment from the roles that they play, their role in providing as sources of water and food as well as important ecosystems of flora and fauna.
“They also regulate (possible disasters) in the age of climate change and the related shocks (as) they regulate flooding across ecosystems.”
A project by Parliament in partnership with DanChurchAid and Conservation Conversations, the “Voices of Zimbabwe on Wetlands” campaign aims to bolster community participation in wetland protection countrywide in the build up to the upcoming Ramsar Convention on Wetlands COP15 set for July 23–31, 2025, in Victoria Falls.
“We are very proud to be part of the ‘Voices of Zimbabwe on Wetlands’ campaign because this initiative incorporates the voices of local communities, not just a specific class but communities from all over the country,” DanChurchAid Zimbabwe representative Patience Ukama said.
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As part of the initiative, members of the National Assembly and Senate—representing committees such as Environment, Legal Affairs, and Local Government, representatives from councils, the Environmental Management Agency, ZimParks, community groups, and the media have so far visited Ramsar sites including Cleveland Dam, Monavale Vlei, and Lake Chivero.
There are plans for more tours of Ramsar-designated wetlands and engagements across the country in the next couple of weeks, according to Ukama.
“These wetlands are protected by our communities, people that live in these spaces every day. So, it is our hope that as we go around the country, the voices of diverse ordinary Zimbabweans are all coming together around this prestigious (Ramsar Convention COP 15) event.
“This is the first time that the COP on wetlands is being hosted in Southern Africa and therefore we want to maximise this global platform to make sure that Zimbabwe’s voice is recognized on this platform.
Meanwhile, the campaign and subsequent international gathering come at a time the existence of wetlands is under threat from urban development, agriculture, mining and pollution.
In Zimbabwe, a mapping exercise conducted in 2021 showed that only 17.63% of the country’s remaining wetlands are in pristine conditions, 55.65% are moderately degraded while 26.72 % have been severely degraded.
