Govt to replicate PPP model in parks, reserves

Government has said it will employ the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model it has with African Parks, managers of Majete Game Reserve in Chikhwawa, in some of the country’s national parks and game reserves.

Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa, speaking when he toured Majete and Lengwe National Park in Chikhwawa on Friday, said the African Parks business model has strengths that are beneficial to Malawi.

“It has access to the necessary budgets to achieve the goals that are in line with conservation needs and objective of Malawi. Consequently, it is a known fact that the African Parks management model in Malawi has enjoyed a strong public support,” he said.

In 2003, the Malawi Government entered into a partnership with African Parks to manage Majete Wildlife Reserve. This partnership resulted in the formation of a local company, African Parks (Majete) Limited.

The agreement allows African Parks to take over the rehabilitation, management and development of the wildlife reserve for 25 years with an option to renew for a further 15 years.

Nankhumwa said from the time African Parks has been managing Majete, it has restored the reserve in terms of wildlife availability and development of infrastructure.

“I am aware that it is now a fully stocked game park with a Big 5 status and with tourism and management infrastructure such as roads, fences, lodges, visitor facilities, campsites and an extensive community outreach programme,” he said.

Nankhumwa said the ministry would extend the PPP model to other protected areas such as Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park and is currently working with the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC).

The process of identifying companies to manage some of the parks and game reserves is currently underway and the PPPC is evaluating the proposals to identify a successful bidder to carry out feasibility studies in the two protected areas.

“According to the roadmap from the PPPC, we should be able to complete the process and sign a management concession before the end of the year,” said a statement from the ministry.

African Parks Majete country director Patricio Ndadzeyi touted their business model as being successful and reiterated that it can be replicated elsewhere in Malawi.

“But we also want to consolidate what we have achieved here and make sure that it is sustainable in the long-term, creating an opportunity for tourists to come and patronise this place,” he said in an interview after the tour.

The game reserve, according to Ndadzeyi, operates on a $1 million budget annually and they are able to finance 43 percent of costs using the money generated.

A tour of the two places revealed that unlike at Majete where it is well taken care of and workers have a decent living, at Lengwe the situation is the opposite.

Poaching remains a big challenge, there is heavy encroachment by locals and foreign nationals, staff is demotivated due to nonpayment of field allowance, poor housing and inadequate supply of field equipments such as tents, sleeping bags, ammunition, firearms and vehicles.

Malawi has five national parks namely Nyika National Park, Kasungu National Park, Lake Malawi Nation Park, Liwonde National Park, Lengwe National Park and four game reserves, Majete Reserve, Mwabvi Game Reserve, Nkhotakota Game Reserve and Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve which have the potential spur the growth of tourism in the country.