What is Limiting Success of Community-Based Approach to Conservation of Natural Resources in Southern Africa?

Despite registering some successes, community-based conservation approach has been criticised as having failed to achieve the objectives of biodiversity conservation and livelihood sustenance. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify key challenges that are limiting success of community-based conservation of natural resources in southern Africa and suggest ways of addressing them. The study is based on reviews of published documents on the matter. The study identifies four challenges that are limiting success of community-based conservation programmes in southern Africa and these are: inability to sustain livelihoods, weak land and resource tenure, weak community institutions and poor governance. These challenges are probably the major constraints because they undermine decision-making, participation and capacity to manage resources, and hinder equitable benefit flow that incentivise conservation efforts by communities. Measures to address these limitations are suggested as diversifying benefit flow, strengthening property rights to natural resources and community institutions, and improving governance at all relevant levels.