Biofund

Under the motto “We are part of the solution for nature”, on 22 May Mozambique celebrated International Biodiversity Day.

The Fund was set up in June 2020, by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), with the aim of reducing the extreme impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the conservation areas in Mozambique (public and private areas), by guaranteeing the jobs of the rangers and of essential staff for supporting inspection, which were previously covered by income from tourism. The BIO-Emergency Fund was initially designed to cover a period of one year. However, due to the effects of COVID-19, which continue to have a negative effect on tourism and other sectors, BIOFUND has extended the period covered by the fund to the end of December 2021.

With the aim of seeing up close the activities that are being undertaken with the funds from the Bio card, a project resulting from a partnership between the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) and the Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI), teams from BIOFUND and the BCI recently visited the Sábiè Game Park, the Conservation Area where the first pilot project financed with funds from this card has been implemented, for the conservation of white and black rhinoceros, which are species threatened with extinction in Mozambique. This project, designed by MozParks Initiative INC., supported the placing of satellite tags in order to better follow and protect these species.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND, in the framework of the BIO-Emergency Fund programme, in March 2021 held a survey among private sector beneficiaries with the purpose of assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the conservation of biodiversity and the management of the Conservation Areas. The survey was undertaken through an online questionnaire with open and multiple choice questions.

Set up in 2010, the Ratata Natural Resources Management Committee, is located in the buffer zone of the Gilé National Park (PNAG), on the side of Impaca locality, in Pebane district and it is working in coordination with the Park, to find sustainable alternatives that seek to improve the livelihoods of the more than five neighbourhoods which accommodate about 7,000 households.

High trees, a variety of plant species and bird song that enchants those who enter the forest in the Gilé National Park, in Zambézia province. But after an hour’s drive from this unique moment, there arises a new horizon which, with a magical stimulus, awakens the desire to see where those mountainous formations, discovered (documented) for the first time in 1920, end. Thus begins the climb to the top of Mount Pope, which is about 265 metres high.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), in partnership with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the National Forestry Directorate (DINAF), on 6 April held the induction of interns at central level, from the 2nd edition of internships of the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Programme (PLCM).

In order to raise awareness about “PROMOVE Biodiversidade”, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the European Union, on 30 March 2021, presented the project “PROMOVE Biodiversidade” to the Council of Representation of the State Secretariat of Zambezia Province.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), through the Mozambique Programme for Conservation Leadership (PLCM), will finance 15 scholarships for the 2021/2022 academic year.

The Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of synergies in support of activities to conserve biodiversity in Mozambique.

Organised by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), in partnership with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), the workshop was held in a virtual format on 2 March 2021 and counted on the participation of all the interns of the Programme for Conservation Leadership of Mozambique (PLCM).

On 3 March 2021, World Wildlife Day is celebrated. The date was created by the United Nations in 2013, with the goal of celebrating world fauna and flora, and warning of the dangers of trafficking in species of wildlife

To this end, on the morning of Wednesday 3 March, a financing agreement was signed between the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) for the project designated ECO-DRR.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), the French Development Agency (AFD), Fauna and Flora International (FFI), the MICAIA Foundation, the Chimanimani National Park (PNC) and the National Sustainable Development Fund (FNDS), through the MozBio II Project, on 11 February 2021, held the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Chimanimani Biodiversity Conservation and Community Development Project, abbreviated as the Chimanimani Project.

With the onset of the rainy season in the Banhine National Park (PNB), a team of biologists consisting of two interns from the Programme of Leadership Conservation in Mozambique (PLCM), Golden Benedito Joaquim, with a licentiate degree in Biological Sciences, and Euderico Manjama, with a licentiate degree in Marine, Aquatic and Coastal Biology, are undertaking a sampling of aquatic species and birds predominant in that Conservation Area.

In just the 5 months since its creation, the Emergency BIO-Fund Programme has already contributed to the protection of 12,695,911 hectares of biodiversity in 24 of the country’s Conservation Areas, through support in paying the wages of over 958 Rangers. 11 of these are publicly managed areas, 11 are under private management and two are under community management.

Decreed in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, 2 February marks the international celebration of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands, or simply the Ramsar Convention. This is a convention that seeks to promote international cooperation and encourage actions for rational and sustainable management of the wetlands for the maintenance of the life of humanity and of biodiversity.

Diocórcia is one of the few women in the Limpopo National Park (PNL) who works in the inspection sector. She has been working there for 12 years. She always dreamed of working in the conservation area, and this dream came true in 2008, when she entered the PNL, as a ranger.

This happened last Wednesday, January 20, at the offices of Mariri, a concessionaire for Block L5S of the Special Reserve of Niassa, just after the arrival of Sofia Nhalungo and Tânia Zeferino, interns of the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and beneficiaries of the Mozambique Program for Conservation Leadership (PLCM).

This is a project supported by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), through the Bio card, a partnership between BIOFUND and the Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI), which seeks to contribute to the preservation of the rhinoceros, an endangered species, in the Sabie Game Park, in Moamba district.

Through the opening of new schools, water boreholes for the communities, and the promotion of environmental education activities in the local schools, among other community development activities, Muthemba Safaris is making communities aware of the need to embrace the cause of the preservation of natural resources.

Slightly more than two years old, the dog Gaby has been a true guardian of nature and an indispensable piece in the monitoring activities of Massingir Safaris.

Under the name “Poaching Steals from All of Us”, the campaign has been undertaken by the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), in collaboration with WILDAID, a non-governmental organisation that works for the preservation of wild life, and other conservation partners, including the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND.

The interns, Atairis Massonganha, trained in Economics, and Talven Samuel Jackson, trained in Public Administration and Management, in November began their activities of a pre-professional internship in the World Wide Fund For Nature – WWF.

Hagnésio Chiponde is a young Mozambican trained in veterinary medicine at the Eduardo Mondlane University, and a beneficiary of the first edition of the internship programme of the PLCM, which took place in the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and in the Maputo Special Reserve and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve from March to August 2020.

With financing from the European Union, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity – BIOFUND, signed, in November 2020, the first subvention agreement under the “PROMOTE Biodiversity” programme, with the François Sommer Foundation/International Foundation for Wildlife Management – FFS-IGF - to the approximate value of 2.3 million Euros for direct support to the Gilé National Park, until, 2025.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND in partnership with the Eduardo Mondlane University - UEM and Wildlife Conservation Society - WCS, held on November 12, 2020 from 9 - 11 am a Webinar for the presentation of the “Progress report on the study on metrics to assess the ecological condition of mangrove forests in Mozambique ”.

On 2 and 3 November 2020, the National Directorate of the Environment (DINAB), and its partners, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and BIOFUND,held a retreat on the Macaneta beach in Maputo to review the proposed Regulations on biodiversity offsets.

A Fundação para Conservação da Biodiversidade - BIOFUND, realizou de 9 a 15 de Outubro de 2020, sessões de monitoria virtual, com as Áreas de Conservação beneficiárias para conhecer o nível de execução do plano de actividades face à nova realidade imposta pela COVID-19 e proporcionar um espaço de partilha de experiências entre os beneficiários.

This fact was determined during the monitoring visit to the Magoe National Park (PNM) held recently by the BIOFUND team, in the context of approving the Park’s entry into the BIO-Emergency Fund. In this way, it will benefit from the payment of wages to its 68 existing rangers.

The interns Maria Madalena Rangel, with a degree in Anthropology, and Dulce da Flora Simão, with a degree in Biological Sciences, had an initial induction into activities of the community sector and the priority actions to be undertaken, notably the community food security programme. This seeks to guarantee food for the households recently resettled from the interior of the park to the buffer zone and other localities in Mabote district.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND, at the Second Extraordinary Meeting of its Board of Directors, held in September 2020, approved the extension for a further nine months of PHASE 1 of the BIO-Emergency Fund, thus guaranteeing additional subventions to support the Conservation Areas under public and private management, up until June 2021.

In August, the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (PNAB) started training for sailors in codes of conduct for marine wildlife, with the main objective of involving local partners in the active conservation of marine ecosystems in the PNAB.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, BIOFUND, within the scope of the BIO-Fund Emergency Program, carried out on September 9, 2020 the first monitoring visit to the Sabié Game Park (SGP), taking all the necessary COVID-19 security measures.

Today, 16 September, marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. With the aim of preserving the ozone layer, which works as a natural shield for the planet against the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun, the Montreal Protocol was established on 16 September 1987. This is an international agreement which has been signed by 191 countries.With the signing of the agreement, 16 September became the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

This is an inedited event, which will bring together a worldwide community of conservation finance professionals, including environmental funds, donors, impact investors, NGOs, the private sector and government authorities between the 6th and 8th of October.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, BIOFUND, has adopted several measures that allow it to operate fully, by implementing forms of distance working, and a rotating shift regime for its staff, in addition to holding virtual meetings.

After 5 years of editions of the Biodiversity Exhibition, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) brought together partners, donors and volunteers in a debate about the previous editions, and the prospects for new approaches to the Biodiversity Exhibition

This is the second group of young graduates selected within the scope of the 1st Edition of the PLCM Internship Program that began their activities in the Conservation Areas on September 9, 2020, for period of six months - observing the entire protocol of hygiene and safety established for the prevention of COVID-19.