This is the first capacity building exercise undertaken by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) and the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), in the framework of implementing the PROMOVE Biodiversidade (Promote Biodiversity) project, which seeks to support the Conservation of Biodiversity and Community Development on Mount Mabu.

The training occurred on 12-13 October 2021, in the city of Mocuba, Zambézia province. 20 trainees took part, including the Director of the Lugela District Economic Activities Service, the Director of the Lugela District Planning and Infrastructure Services, the Head of the Tacuane Administrative Post, the Head of the Muabanama Administrative Post, the Head of Mabu Locality, the head of Mpemula locality, leaders of five local communities and a representative of the local private sector.

The training sought to establish a base line of the Effectiveness of Management for Mount Mabu, using the METT tool (Protected Area Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool), involving the identification and involvement of the affected and interested key areas on Mount Mabu and their management, training in how to use the METT tool, and a practical exercise in evaluating the tool for Mount Mabu through a participatory process, involving all the key stakeholders of the area.

The METT tool consists of a simple approach, through a questionnaire that includes scoring and an assessment form on the degree of risk posed by the threats to the Conservation Area, in order to provide mechanisms to monitor and report the effectiveness of management over time. This will allow the Administration of the Conservation Area, donors and partners to identify needs, constraints and priority actions for the management of the Conservation Area. This tool was developed for the first time in 1998 by the Alliance between the World Bank and WWF, for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forests.

Mount Mabu is an area rich in biological diversity, located in Lugela district, Zambezia province. It is one of the three beneficiaries of PROMOVE Biodiversidade, which is being implemented by the consortium formed by WWF, R-GCRN and RADEZA and is financed by BIOFUND through funds from the European Union

Visit the BIOFUND web page and remain up-to-date with the activities developed under the PROMOVE Biodiversidade programme in Zambézia and Nampula provinces.