The 6th Conference on Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) took place from July 30 to August 1, 2025, in the City of Maputo. This national platform for dialogue and reflection on CBNRM was promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries (MAAP), with the technical and financial support of the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity – BIOFUND, through the PROMOVE Biodiversidade Programme and the Northern Mozambique Rural Resilience Project (MozNorte).

The event, which brought together members of the Government, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector and representatives of local communities, focused on strengthening partnerships for conservation, valuing traditional knowledge, and recognizing the role of communities as active actors in the protection and sustainable management of natural resources.

Renewed commitments at the official opening

The official opening ceremony, led by His Excellency Gustavo Sobrinho Djedje, Secretary of State for the Environment at MAAP, highlighted the urgency of transforming commitments into concrete actions. The government official called for the creation of sustainable livelihoods and stressed the need to achieve results that can be assessed at the following conference.

“The presence of everyone demonstrates the commitment to involving communities in the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources”, he said.

Local experiences as a basis for sustainable solutions

On July 29, the day before the official opening of the Conference, a pre-event session was held, dedicated to the exchange of community experiences, involving participants from all provinces of the country, particularly from the buffer zones of Conservation Areas. This session underscored the importance of local participation in ecosystem restoration, sustainable management, and resilience to climate change.

Highlights of the second day: Feasibility, equity, and healthy ecosystems

The second day of the conference was marked by debates on the effectiveness of community-based Natural resources management and the initial results of a study on economic and financial viability of value chains in buffer zones. The need to integrate local governance, conservation, and economic development was emphasized, to ensure that benefits are distributed fairly and inclusively.
For its part, BIOFUND reaffirmed the importance of integrated approaches that recognize the value of community knowledge, strengthen local governance, and contribute to the sustainability of Conservation Areas.

Highlights of the final day: Partnerships, public policies, sustainable financing, and legal security

The closing of the Conference emphasized the importance of aligning community practices with the national legal framework, advocating for greater legal security, formal recognition of local initiatives, and sustainable financing to ensure the continuity of actions and long term effects.
The final sessions also reinforced the need for strategic partnerships to promote community-based natural resources management as a driver of economic inclusion, income generation, and preservation of natural heritage.

BIOFUND’s active participation in the 6th CBNRM Conference reflects its firm commitment to a community-centered conservation model that promotes equity, sustainability, and resilient development in Mozambique. This event was collaborative effort involving other partners, namely, the Community-Based Management Network (ReGeCom), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization  (FAO), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the World Bank.