Participation in the Mozambican Foundation for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity - BIOFUND III

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Mozambique has several terrestrial and marine natural areas of outstanding global importance. These are divided into absolute protected areas (nature reserves, natural parks, cultural and national monuments) and protected areas with sustainable use of natural resources. The protected areas cover approximately 26% of the country's surface area. Poaching of rhinos and elephants is a major problem. The main obstacles to the sustainable protection of biodiversity are in particular the lack of qualified human resources that would enable adequate management of the protected areas, as well as the lack of long-term and reliable financing that can at least cover the running costs of managing the protected areas. In response to this problem, the establishment of an environmental foundation has been pushed forward since 2007 with the involvement of the donor community and the WWF. The BIOFUND is primarily intended to contribute to the sustainable financing of the operating costs (excluding wage costs) of the protected areas. The FC project - here a provisionally audited financing proposal for ¤ 9 million for the third phase - is intended to contribute to the sustainable financing of the Mos. national park system by providing financial support to the environmental foundation BIOFUND, by using interest income from the foundation's assets to cover part of the running costs of protected areas (excluding wage costs). This is intended to ensure the long-term protection and preservation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources in Mozambique's nature reserves. The foundation's capital increase will increase the level of coverage of non-wage operating costs from annual interest surpluses, thus increasing the effectiveness, significance and sustainability of the German contribution. People living near the national parks in particular benefit from their expansion and development through the creation of jobs in park management and, in the medium to long term, in tourism. The poorest part of the population of Mozambique usually lives in the rural areas surrounding the national parks, with an income of less than USD 1.25 per capita per day. In this respect, the measure contributes to poverty reduction by financially securing the park structures. Given the limited budget of the Mozambican government for the protected area system, the operation of the protected areas will require external support even if the protected areas' own income increases in the future. The BIOFUND foundation, which is organized under private law, is an essential instrument for securing investments in nature conservation in economically weak countries such as Mozambique on a long-term basis. However, the donations to the foundation so far are not sufficient to secure the purpose of the BIOFUND in the long term. In order to cover the operating costs on a long-term basis, the BIOFUND must acquire new commitments. A further risk is the lack of financial resources for sufficient staff in the protected areas. Since the grants from the BIOFUND are only intended for the non-wage operating costs of the protected areas, the responsibility for paying salaries lies with the Mozambican government.