The BIOPAMA programme focuses on three aspects for promoting more effective and sustainable protected and conserved area management and governance. The first is establishment of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Resource Hub to facilitate the provision of relevant information and data. The second is the capacity development of managers and decision-makers of protected and conserved areas to collect and use data and information on their areas more effectively and the third is a competitive granting mechanism to support on site improvements for effective and sustainable protected and conserved areas.

The RRH platform developed for the region is intended to continue to operate and provide services beyond the BIOPAMA Programme and is therefore very important that it is driven and fostered by the countries and regional commissions by making data and information available to inform decisions. This is also one of the primary functions of the TEAM conservation actors as they also champion the RRH as a One-stop-shop resource for fair and effective management of protected and conserved areas that will also ensure sustainability. See the TEAM profile here https://esahub.rcmrd.org/en/teams

Five of the RRH TEAM from Mauritius, Madagascar, Zambia, Ethiopia and South Africa were interviewed during the RRH launch where they all agreed that the RRH is very relevant to their work and were willing to contribute to its development moving forward. Some of the additions they were keen to have was inclusion of historical and socio-political information incorporated into ecological layers that would provide a more holistic approach especially when it comes to planning and decision-making. The other was the inclusion of information on the human dimensions in small islands and climate change and their interactions within protected and conserved areas.

This feedback was important to understand the needs and priorities of the different stakeholders as the success of the RRH development and implementation is dependent on input from the different levels of stakeholders. This would ensure inclusion and the bringing together of crucial data, information, knowledge, expertise, opinions, insights, networks and opportunities relevant to the users.  The expansion of the TEAM members is still ongoing and if you would like to be involved then you can email Michael Kimani This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and Beryl Nyamgeroh This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.