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

completed

The FC measure is intended to help finance sustainable management of the Mozambican national park system by providing financial support to the environmental foundation Fundação para Conservação da Biodiversidade (BIOFUND) (project objective), by using interest income from the foundation's assets to cover part of the running costs (excluding wage costs) of the protected areas. This ensures the long-term protection and preservation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources in Mozambique's nature reserves, including the transnational parks (overall objective). 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 makes an important contribution to poverty reduction by financially securing the park structures. The environmental foundation was set up and developed with the support of the Federal Development Fund, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and other donors. The Federal Development Fund BIOFUND project comprises two phases: the first phase (2012 652 71) with a commitment of EUR 10.0 million, and the second phase (2014 687 50) with a commitment of EUR 6.0 million. The first phase consists of a financial contribution to the Endowment Fund of EUR 9.0 million and the financing of an implementation consultant of EUR 1.0 million. The funds for the second phase are made available exclusively as a financial contribution to the Endowment Fund.