Socio-economic baseline study and development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA)
The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA) was established in 2012. It has a total area of around 430.000 km² and extends over five African countries (Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe) making it the largest conservation project worldwide. Next to the overall goal of linking fragmented habitats and secure animal migration routes by increasing habitat connectivity, the improvement of the livelihoods of local residents is a major goal (e.g. via promoting community-based tourism) of this ambitious conservation project. Thus, E.C.O. was entrusted to conduct a socio-economic baseline study focusing on local livelihoods across all countries, which are part of KAZA-TFCA. Based on the results, E.C.O. will develop a socio-economic monitoring and evaluation framework (M&E) for the management of the conservation area in order to develop projects and programmes aiming at improving local livelihoods and to evaluate future activities and projects regarding their impact on local communities. To realize this project, E.C.O. is being supported by its partners from Namibia, Zambia and South Africa.