COVID-19 is taking a serious toll on the tourism sector in Mozambique and indeed in the rest of the world.

As many of you are already aware, BIOFUND, the national Foundation for the Conversation of Biodiversity, has been closely following the situation and analyzing the ways in which it can assist the sector in this difficult time. The Board of Directors of BIOFUND has recently approved the launching of a specific program for this assistance.

The current program aims to mitigate some of the most extreme impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Mozambican conservation sector, both public and private, as well as to provide some replacement income to local communities in and around the conservation areas.

One of the highest risks of the COVID-19 pandemic to conservation in Mozambique is the probability that lost tourism income will result in the suspension of patrolling in the conservation areas, both those privately managed as well as some of the publicly managed ones.

To address this risk, BIOFUND has decided to create an Emergency Support Program to channel resources to the public and private sector in Mozambique to permit the basic functioning of law enforcement activities during the period in which there is no tourism income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While recognizing that there are many priorities in the crisis, this support is focused on a contribution to the critical line of staff salaries, to allow at least the continuation of minimum patrolling activities and to secure the jobs of the field rangers and essential patrol support staff.

This support will be provided in 2 phases: Phase 1, immediately, will provide to the Private Sector grants to operators to cover 50% of the costs of ranger salaries for a period of 3 months. Phase 2, to be finalized over this initial period, will be more broadly encompassing and aim to broaden the support as well as extend its duration. The exact form of this support will be communicated in due time, following approval by the BIOFUND Board of Directors.

All operators of the National System of the Protected Areas interested in more information and how to submit proposals for Phase 1, please send an email to projectos@biofund.org.mz, with “Private Sector Support” in the subject line.

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