Biofund

In just the 5 months since its creation, the Emergency BIO-Fund Programme has already contributed to the protection of 12,695,911 hectares of biodiversity in 24 of the country’s Conservation Areas, through support in paying the wages of over 958 Rangers. 11 of these are publicly managed areas, 11 are under private management and two are under community management.

Decreed in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, 2 February marks the international celebration of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands, or simply the Ramsar Convention. This is a convention that seeks to promote international cooperation and encourage actions for rational and sustainable management of the wetlands for the maintenance of the life of humanity and of biodiversity.

Diocórcia is one of the few women in the Limpopo National Park (PNL) who works in the inspection sector. She has been working there for 12 years. She always dreamed of working in the conservation area, and this dream came true in 2008, when she entered the PNL, as a ranger.

This happened last Wednesday, January 20, at the offices of Mariri, a concessionaire for Block L5S of the Special Reserve of Niassa, just after the arrival of Sofia Nhalungo and Tânia Zeferino, interns of the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and beneficiaries of the Mozambique Program for Conservation Leadership (PLCM).

This is a project supported by the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), through the Bio card, a partnership between BIOFUND and the Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI), which seeks to contribute to the preservation of the rhinoceros, an endangered species, in the Sabie Game Park, in Moamba district.

Through the opening of new schools, water boreholes for the communities, and the promotion of environmental education activities in the local schools, among other community development activities, Muthemba Safaris is making communities aware of the need to embrace the cause of the preservation of natural resources.

Slightly more than two years old, the dog Gaby has been a true guardian of nature and an indispensable piece in the monitoring activities of Massingir Safaris.

Under the name “Poaching Steals from All of Us”, the campaign has been undertaken by the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), in collaboration with WILDAID, a non-governmental organisation that works for the preservation of wild life, and other conservation partners, including the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND.

The interns, Atairis Massonganha, trained in Economics, and Talven Samuel Jackson, trained in Public Administration and Management, in November began their activities of a pre-professional internship in the World Wide Fund For Nature – WWF.

Hagnésio Chiponde is a young Mozambican trained in veterinary medicine at the Eduardo Mondlane University, and a beneficiary of the first edition of the internship programme of the PLCM, which took place in the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and in the Maputo Special Reserve and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve from March to August 2020.

With financing from the European Union, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity – BIOFUND, signed, in November 2020, the first subvention agreement under the “PROMOTE Biodiversity” programme, with the François Sommer Foundation/International Foundation for Wildlife Management – FFS-IGF - to the approximate value of 2.3 million Euros for direct support to the Gilé National Park, until, 2025.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND in partnership with the Eduardo Mondlane University - UEM and Wildlife Conservation Society - WCS, held on November 12, 2020 from 9 - 11 am a Webinar for the presentation of the “Progress report on the study on metrics to assess the ecological condition of mangrove forests in Mozambique ”.

On 2 and 3 November 2020, the National Directorate of the Environment (DINAB), and its partners, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and BIOFUND,held a retreat on the Macaneta beach in Maputo to review the proposed Regulations on biodiversity offsets.

A Fundação para Conservação da Biodiversidade - BIOFUND, realizou de 9 a 15 de Outubro de 2020, sessões de monitoria virtual, com as Áreas de Conservação beneficiárias para conhecer o nível de execução do plano de actividades face à nova realidade imposta pela COVID-19 e proporcionar um espaço de partilha de experiências entre os beneficiários.

This fact was determined during the monitoring visit to the Magoe National Park (PNM) held recently by the BIOFUND team, in the context of approving the Park’s entry into the BIO-Emergency Fund. In this way, it will benefit from the payment of wages to its 68 existing rangers.

The interns Maria Madalena Rangel, with a degree in Anthropology, and Dulce da Flora Simão, with a degree in Biological Sciences, had an initial induction into activities of the community sector and the priority actions to be undertaken, notably the community food security programme. This seeks to guarantee food for the households recently resettled from the interior of the park to the buffer zone and other localities in Mabote district.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND, at the Second Extraordinary Meeting of its Board of Directors, held in September 2020, approved the extension for a further nine months of PHASE 1 of the BIO-Emergency Fund, thus guaranteeing additional subventions to support the Conservation Areas under public and private management, up until June 2021.

In August, the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (PNAB) started training for sailors in codes of conduct for marine wildlife, with the main objective of involving local partners in the active conservation of marine ecosystems in the PNAB.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, BIOFUND, within the scope of the BIO-Fund Emergency Program, carried out on September 9, 2020 the first monitoring visit to the Sabié Game Park (SGP), taking all the necessary COVID-19 security measures.

Today, 16 September, marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. With the aim of preserving the ozone layer, which works as a natural shield for the planet against the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun, the Montreal Protocol was established on 16 September 1987. This is an international agreement which has been signed by 191 countries.With the signing of the agreement, 16 September became the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

This is an inedited event, which will bring together a worldwide community of conservation finance professionals, including environmental funds, donors, impact investors, NGOs, the private sector and government authorities between the 6th and 8th of October.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, BIOFUND, has adopted several measures that allow it to operate fully, by implementing forms of distance working, and a rotating shift regime for its staff, in addition to holding virtual meetings.

After 5 years of editions of the Biodiversity Exhibition, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) brought together partners, donors and volunteers in a debate about the previous editions, and the prospects for new approaches to the Biodiversity Exhibition

This is the second group of young graduates selected within the scope of the 1st Edition of the PLCM Internship Program that began their activities in the Conservation Areas on September 9, 2020, for period of six months - observing the entire protocol of hygiene and safety established for the prevention of COVID-19.

The Dr. Carlos Lopes Pereira Fund, which seeks to recognise and reward the courage and dedication of the rangers of the Conservation Areas in Mozambique,has just received a new contribution to its capital, to the value of two million meticais, from the company AVM Consultores, represented by Adamo Valy.

Created on August 12th 2012, with the aim of protecting all elephant species and support for the conservation of the largest terrestrial mammal on the planet, World Elephant Day was designed by Canadian director Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, where the animal is a national symbol.

The launch of this prize took place on 1 August in Gorongosa National Park, at an event concerning World Ranger Day which is celebrated on 31 July every year.

It is a day to recognize across the globe the contribution of this group of professionals, who play a crucial role for conservation of biodiversity. The rangers work directly inside the conservation areas and their buffer zones to ensure the protection of wildlife, working day and night in often precarious conditions.

In order to guarantee their jobs and cover the wage costs of the rangers and staff who are indispensable for supporting inspection of the conservation areas during the period of crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) announced on Wednesday a fund of three million dollars that will help pay the wages of about a thousand rangers in conservation areas, under public and private management, which have seen their income fall as a result of the lack of visitors since the Covid-19 pandemic exploded across the globe.

The French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Fund for the Global Environment (FFEM), in partnership with the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity – BIOFUND, are launching a new project to improve the balance between the conservation of biodiversity and ruraldevelopment in the Chimanimani National Reserve.

Today, 26 July, the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystems, is celebrated worldwide. In Mozambique the celebration is marked by the call for everyone to contribute to the conservation of mangroves.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) on 14 July 2020 held the 3rd meeting of the Steering Committee of the Mozambique Leadership for Conservation Programme – PLCM.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity - BIOFUND, promoted a contest called “Films for Awareness” celebrated on the 8th of June, under the motto “Innovation for Sustainability of the Oceans: Clean Sea, Protected Ecosystem”. The contest was led by the first group of interns of the Leadership Program for the Conservation of Mozambique - PLCM

The pre-launch of the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Program (PLCM) was held from 4 to 11 June 2020 in partnership with ANAC, the Gorongosa National Park and WWF. The main objective of this initiative was to attract young people from different parts of the country to the Biodiversity Conservation Sector in Mozambique.

Today, June 16, is World Sea Turtle Day. This day is especially dedicated to highlight the importance of these wonderful animals.

The Board of Directors of BIOFUND approved at its last meeting an emergency plan of up to three million dollars to help mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19 in the conservation sector.

The virtual exhibition is part of the event to celebrate World Oceans Day, celebrated today, June 8, 2020, under the motto “Innovation and Sustainability of the Ocean: Clean Sea, Protected Ecosystem”.

World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5th of June of each year with the aim of raising awareness in the general population to implement practices that help to preserve the environment.

World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8th. The purpose of the day is to inform the public about the impact of the human actions on the oceans, and developing a worldwide movement for managing sustainable oceans.