Director of Parks and Wildlife Brighton Kumchedwa has commended efforts to construct a 70-kilometre electric fence around Vwaza Wildlife Reserve in Mzimba, saying it will reduce conflict between animals and people.
He expressed the sentiments yesterday when Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Michael Usi, Germany Embassy deputy head of development cooperation Knut Gummert and Peace Parks Foundation chief executive officer Werner Myburgh inaugurated construction works of the fence in the district.
“If the fence was not constructed, relations between government and communities would strain further because people have lost lives and crops when animals stray from the reserve,” said Kumchedwa.
Myburgh bemoaned the vandalism of the previous fence and asked people to come up with committees to protect the fence.
Gummert said the project will not only protect animals but also improve people’s lives through various initiatives.
On the other hand, Usi urged the investors to come up with sustainable development programmes that will benefit people around the wildlife reserve.
Funded by the German Government through KFW to the tune of about K1 billion, the construction work, under the Malawi/Zambia Trans-frontier Conservation Area Project, is being implemented by Peace Parks Foundation.
