PDF《ZAMBIA NATIONAL REPORT TO THE RAMSAR》

3 (f) Recently, Zambia has become party to the SADC shared water courses protocol. Regional / Sub-Regional Meetings / Consultations - A workshop, was held in Siavonga in

1992 on '

Wetlands in Southern Africa . - A regional workshop was held on Dambos hosted by SAREC/IIED/ARPT on Sustainable Use of Dambos in Southern Africa

10 - 14th January 1993, Lusaka, Zambia Ramsar Strategic Plan C General Objective

2 To Achieve the wise use of wetlands by implementing and further developing the Ramsar Wise Use Guidelines The Government of the Republic of Zambia is in the process of developing the Zambia Wetlands Programme (ZWP). This is an umbrella programme for the Development of Wetlands in Zambia. The ZNWP has been partially developed and it will be completed once funds for mobilisation to collect information have been sought. The Wetlands Policy should be ready by the year 1999. 2.1 Despite Zambia being a party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance since September 1991, it has been managing the Wetlands systems without a National Policy. But this is to change as soon as the policy document is completed. Realising this drawback, the Country through Donor assistance has started developing a Wetlands Programme. This is anticipated to be achieved through mobilising, co-ordinating and expanding the interest, expertise and information systems developed on Wetland resources under past and current initiatives.

4 The ZWP objectives are in agreement with those of the country'

s Biodiversity Action Plans. It is infact a complementary initiative in trying to implement the National Biodiversity Action Plans. They both advocate for:- (a) the conservation of biological diversity (b) the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and -(c) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of the natural resources past and current initiatives. The Zambia Wetlands Programme is an umbrella programme concerned in the development of Wetlands in Zambia. The programme aims at: (a) Re - activating the functioning of the Zambia Wetlands Steering Committee. (b) Initiating, motivating and cultivating the interest and potential, in government departments, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), local communities and other concerned parties, in sustainable management of wetland areas. Work on the ZWP has been progressing well. There is a functional National Wetlands Steering Committee in Zambia with representative from various Government, Non-Governmental Organisation both local and international and higher institutions of learning i.e. University. The following is the list for the Wetlands Steering Committee.: ?. The University of Zambia (UNZA) - School of Natural Sciences Biology Department - School of Agricultural Sciences

5 Soil Science Department - School of Education Geography Department ? Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries (MAFF) - Department of Field Services - Research Department - Department of Fisheries ? Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) - Policy and Planning Division - Forestry Department ? Ministry of Community Development and Social Services - Department of Community Development ? Ministry of Lands - Lands Department ? Ministry of Tourism - Department of National Parks and Wildlife Services ? Ministry of Local Government and Housing ? National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) ? Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) ? Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO)

6 ? World Conservation Union (IUCN) ? World-wide Fund for Nature (WWF) ? Zambia National Farmers Union (ZFNU) ? Zambia Alliance of Women (ZAW) Once the ZWP has been completed it will provide a general framework on how wetlands will be developed in Zambia. Later on project proposals will be developed to address the specific needs of different wetlands areas. Under the ZWP the following areas have been studied in detail agriculture, forestry, land use, fisheries, socio-economy, legal issues, environmental edu........