About CAMPFIRE

The Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) was initiated in 1989 by the Zimbabwean government to support community-led development and sustainable use of natural resources. The legal basis of CAMPFIRE is the 1975 Parks and Wildlife Act, which allows communities and private landowners to use wildlife on their land in a sustainable manner for their socio-economic benefit.

As the first nationwide community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) programme in Africa, CAMPFIRE paved the way for CBNRM, particularly among its neighbouring countries in southern Africa. The adoption of sustainable use as a strategy for promoting biodiversity conservation marked a pivotal shift from the colonial-era protectionist mindset to a community-led conservation approach.

CAMPFIRE’s success over the years is the result of collaborative efforts by CAMPFIRE Service Providers, which include the Zimbabwean government’s wildlife, natural resources and local government ministries and departments, and selected local environmental non-governmental organisations, with support from major donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the early years of the programme.

Despite the programme lacking sufficient legal provision for the predominant or exclusive control and management of natural resources by communities, CAMPFIRE has been able to demonstrate that it is a legitimate form of biodiversity conservation.

Through flexible, evolving conservation guidelines and principles, CAMPFIRE has helped establish effective conservation communities at the district, ward and village levels. These communities manage wildlife, control grass burning and tree cutting, and carry out other community-based activities, often in the absence of donor funding. In major wildlife districts, the functionality of these local level institutions has been enhanced by direct payments of income from private sector partners since 2007.

CAMPFIRE is guided by one main objective: to enhance voluntary participation of communities in a flexible programme of natural resources management through a system of participatory ownership and decision making, with defined rights of access for communities residing in natural resource rich areas. 

The CAMPFIRE model (for wildlife management purposes) is based on three main criteria: 

• Participation in communal wildlife areas is entirely voluntary and based on the interest by defined communities and their respective RDCs. These areas exist at the discretion of the communities and are not mandated or formalised by law.
• The presence of viable wildlife populations that can yield sustainable and economically meaningful returns is essential. Since communities primarily rely on subsistence farming, they retain the right to determine the acceptable species diversity and population levels on their land.
• Income from wildlife harvesting is shared between the community and its RDC. This revenue is calculated based on the number of animals harvested within a given area during each hunting season.

The management of other natural resources besides wild animals also requires the voluntary participation of clearly defined communities. It has been legally possible for some communities to establish special purpose vehicles such as Community Trusts to drive business ventures for these resources, usually in partnership with the private sector and the RDCs.

About CAMPFIRE Association

The CAMPFIRE Association in Zimbabwe plays a crucial role in community-based wildlife management and conservation, working closely with Rural District Councils (RDCs) to enhance local governance and resource management. The CAMPFIRE Association registered as a Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) in 1994 to manage wildlife for community benefit after the 1982 Parks and Wildlife Act amendment.

The Association works with the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife (MECW), Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, and other stakeholders to deliver tailored support to communities. The Association advocates for sustainable development and promotes links between the tourism industry and local livelihoods, ensuring long-term benefits of conservation efforts for communities.

The Association engages with Rural District Councils (RDCs), their constituent communities and other relevant public and private agencies to implement and support the sustainable development of communal areas through the sustainable utilisation of wildlife and other natural resources.

Our vision: A Zimbabwe where communities coexist with and benefit from wildlife and nature.

Our mission: We provide strategic representation, guidance and support to communities, empowering them to effectively conserve their natural resources and share benefits. 

Organisational Structure

The CAMPFIRE Association is structured similarly to its member RDCs. It’s Board, composed of elected RDC chairpersons, is accountable to the General Assembly and directs an executive to implement its policy decisions. 

Wildlife producer communities make decisions through CAMPFIRE Wildlife Committees at Village and Ward levels in each district. Depending on local context, these communities are either embedded in or operate under existing Village and Ward Development Committee structures. The community is represented in the RDC by an elected Councillor. Each ward is required to establish a Wildlife Committee, with at least 7 members elected from the villages within that ward.