Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. THE government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has reiterated the importance of a solid biodiversity finance initiative in the management of natural resources and wildlife.
Zimbabwe launched its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) last week as part of a global partnership led by UNDP and financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The initiative comes at a crucial juncture in Zimbabwe’s sustainable development trajectory, as the country strengthens its efforts to achieve Vision 2030, implement the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) and prepare for NDS 2 and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP II).
Speaking during the launch on Friday, UNDP deputy resident representative, Challa Getachew, said through that initiative, the country joined over 90 countries implementing the UNDP-GEF BIOFIN methodology — a proven framework to identify how much a nation spends on biodiversity, how much is needed, and what financing mechanisms can bridge the gap.
“In doing so, Zimbabwe is sending a powerful message: protecting biodiversity is not a cost; it is an investment in national prosperity. Zimbabwe’s natural wealth is extraordinary. Its forests regulate climate, its wetlands store and purify water, its wildlife drives tourism and its ecosystems sustains agriculture and energy. Yet these assets are under threat from land degradation, climate change and competing land uses,” Getachew said.
He, however, emphasised that finance alone is not enough, adding that a holistic approach was needed.
“It must reach the people who are the custodians of nature —our rural communities, women, and youth groups, and local authorities. When they derive real economic value from protecting ecosystems, conservation becomes sustainable.”
Environment, Climate and Wildlife minister Evelyn Ndlovu said the launch represented a strategic milestone in the nation’s development trajectory, as the country reaffirms its commitment to sustainable environmental stewardship and inclusive economic transformation.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with exceptional natural capital from diverse ecosystems and iconic wildlife to fertile soils and resilient communities. Despite their immense value, the financial resources allocated to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity remain insufficient,” she said.
Ndlovu said Zimbabwe continued to mobilise resources through the Global Environment Facility, the Green Climate Fund, and other bilateral and multilateral partnerships; yet the scale of funding remains inadequate to meet the growing demands for conservation and sustainable use.
“The Biodiversity Finance Initiative provides us with a robust framework to address this gap. Through BIOFIN, we shall undertake a comprehensive assessment of current biodiversity expenditures, identify financing needs, and develop targeted solutions to mobilise both domestic and international resources.”
She called upon all sectors — including partner ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Labour, Tourism, Energy, academia, civil society, and the private sector — to actively participate in the national effort.
“Let us invest in the forests that regulate our climate, the wetlands that purify our water and the wildlife that embodies our national heritage. To achieve this vision, we must establish innovative trade financing mechanisms that reward successful conservation stewardship and attract investment in biodiversity enterprises.”
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