Biofund

Today, the 22nd of May, is the International Day of Biodiversity, the date established by the United Nations (UN), on 22 May 1992, celebrated with the aim of raising awareness among the world’s population about the importance of Conserving our Biological Diversity.

During the first round of the PLCM Internship Program, HagnésioChiponde, a young graduate in veterinary medicine fromUniversidade Eduardo Mondlane, was assignedto the National Administration of Conservation Areas, in the Department of Protection and Inspection, and joined the inspection team of the Maputo Special Reserve for a period of timeto participate in the management of Human - Elephant conflict.

Around 100,000 pounds will be allocated to the creation of a mechanism to reward and create an emergency fund, from 2020, that will benefit the professionals that oversee the Conservation Areas of Mozambique

The Government of Mozambique, through the Council of Ministers approved on April 14, 2020 the National Mangal Management Strategy (2020 - 2024). This instrument was designed to combat and reverse the degradation and destruction of the mangrove ecosystem in the country. It is also intended that this instrument adds value to the efforts that have been developed to boost and guide the regulation of rights, duties and obligations regarding the sustainable use of the mangrove ecosystem in Mozambique.

Ten PLCM trainees have been integrated into its sites since 2nd March 2020. This is the first group, with three integrated in BIOFUND, five in the National Administration of Conservation Areas-ANAC and two in the Centro Terra Viva-CTV.

COVID - 19 (Coronavirus) - in the context of measures to prevent the spread of this pandemic that plagues the world, and with some cases already confirmed in Mozambique, BIOFUND, in alignment with its socially responsible posture, and with the aim of avoiding a potential spread of Coronavirus, decided to proceed with the following measures.

Took place on Wednesday, March 04 at Hotel Meliã, in Maputo City the launch of the campaign with the title "Poaching Steals from Us All".

The seminar for the induction of the members of the 9th legislature of the Mozambican Parliament took place between the 17th and 19th February 2020 and, in this context, on the 18th the discussions were around issues related to the conservation of biodiversity, with a view to broaden and facilitate the dissemination of information on the problem of climate change, at a global level and its incidence in countries like Mozambique.

The Government of Mozambique through the National Administration of Conservation Areas, ANAC, carries out from 10 to 16 February several activities to mark the commemorations of World Pangolim Day, which is celebrated internationally on the third Saturday of February, this year on February 15.

Around EUR 283 thousand is the amount of the first disbursement that BIOFUND will make to support the translocation of animals and the reinforcement of inspection patrols in the Gilé National Reserve by the end of the second quarter of 2020.

BIOFUND received with deep sadness the news of the death of JOSÉ DIAS DOS SANTOS MOHAMEDE, Administrator of the Gilé National Reserve, one of the Conservation Areas with which it has been collaborating closely, as one of the first beneficiaries of the Abelha Project (support to Conservation Areas - AFD/BIOFUND funding), as more recently one of the main beneficiaries of the Program Promove Biodiversity (European Union funding).

BIOFUND's Board of Directors approved this Wednesday, 11th of December 2019, the doubling of the institution's budget for 2020, from about USD 4.6 million to USD 8.4 million, of which about 5.6 million USD will be allocated to support Conservation Areas and Environmental Protection.

This was one of the findings of the COMBO project (2016-2019) evaluation held under the theme Conservation, Impact Mitigation and Biodiversity Offset in Africa, in a partnership between Nature Conservation Society (WCS Mozambique), Biotope and Forest Trends.

“Visiting the exhibition was a unique opportunity to complement my knowledge about the biodiversity of Manica and Mozambique, with particular emphasis on the endemic species of flora,” said Chilasse Salvador Fernandes, a young graduate in Ecotourism and Wildlife Management by the Superior Institute of Manica, during the last edition of BIOFUND’sbiodiversity exhibition.

Surrounded by communities within and around 7 Conservation Areas, members representing the beneficiary communities were unanimous in stating with enthusiasm during the Vozes da Terra seminar on 25th and 26th of November that the project Mozbio has significantly improved its self-sustenance conditions.

BIOFUND, in partnership with the Mozambican Association for Environmental Impact Assessment (AMAIA) and the Government of Mozambique, represented by the Provincial Directorate for Land, Environment and Rural Development of Nampula (DPTADER), held between 28 October and 1 November 2019 the Training in Ecological Impact Assessment, Environmental Management Plans and Monitoring, for around 32 technicians from various Government institutions at Nampula province level, civil society organizations and the private sector involved in the environmental impact assessment process.

Challenges in the financing of Marine Protection Areas was the theme of the meeting between representatives of BIOFUND, WWF and Conservation Finance International, during the last week of 21-25 October 2019, in the United States of America.

The process of establishing the management conditions of the Primeiras and Segundas Environmental Protection Area (APAIPS) has taken a significant step with the establishment of local housing for the Administrator Ricardina Matusse from October 2019.

The French Embassy in Mozambique and BIOFUND co-organized, at the Franco Mozambican Cultural Center, between 21st and 24th of September 2019, the first edition of the Terra Nossa event, around the motto “Crossed look between human beings and the ocean.”

The Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development, through the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), in partnership with USAID's SPEED + Project, is in the process of preparing the Proposed Professional Hunter Regulation.

More than 1,000 animal and plant species have been discovered by researchers in a section of the Chimanimani Conservation Area, including a number of species new to Mozambique and several species potentially new to science.

September 16th has been celebrated since 1987 as the World Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, in the context of the Protocol signed in Montreal, which promotes the reduction of ozone-depleting gases and in order to raise awareness of the need for planet protection. In allusion, the UN declared the date as World Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

BIOFUND participated in the 9th Annual Assembly of the African Environmental Funds Network (CAFÉ) on the theme Financial Markets and Portfolio Management for Environmental Funds. The meeting was held from 2 to 6 September 2019 in the city of Ouidah in Benin.

It is the title of the documentary presented on August 19th, in Maputo, addressing the efforts of biodiversity conservation in the Gilé National Reserve, as part of the European Union-funded Project aiming at strengthening the financial sustainability and preserving the biodiversity of the Gilé Reserve in the province of Zambezia.

BIOFUND, through the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Program (PLCM) will participates from 8th to 9th of September in Kigali - Rwanda in a Conference on Conservation Business with the theme “Environmental Investment - from scarcity to abundance”.

Almost 4000 people had access to the V edition of the largest sample of Biodiversity of Mozambique, between 8 and 17 August 2019, in the city of Chimoio, province of Manica, an event visited by His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic and held in synergy with the all school games.

The 18th Conference of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is under way until 28th of this month (CITES)

A special edition of Mapa das Artes, indicating several touristic and cultural points, as well as aspects about the biodiversity of Manica province, was launched in the city of Chimoio, during the V Edition of the Largest Mozambican Biodiversity Exhibition, under the motto “The Culture of Conservation and Sustainable Development”.

The President of the Republic of Mozambique inaugurated in Chimoio the 5th annual edition of the exhibition “BIODIVERSITY IN MOZAMBIQUE” and congratulated BIOFUND for this initiative, which shows, especially to younger generations, the need to preserve nature to guarantee the future of humanity.

BIOFUND Mozambique has heard with sadness of the passing away of Claudia Sobrevila of the World Bank. Claudia was a great friend of Mozambique and BIOFUND, and was instrumental in encouraging, supporting, and guiding our institution in its earliest and most critical days. We would not be the institution we are today without her, and she will be deeply missed. Our condolences go out to her immediate family, and to her enormous extended family around the world.

Mining and Water Pollution, was the theme of the forum held this Thursday, August 08th, at the Catholic University, delegation of Manica, in the context of the V edition of the Mozambican Biodiversity Exhibition, entitled The Culture of Conservation and Sustainable Development

Until the 30th of August, the first research grant contest is underway for elaboration of researchprojects for undergraduate and master's levels conclusion, related to multidisciplinary areas that are directly linked to specific and selected needs of Conservation Areas.

Between the 8th and 17th of August, in the city of Chimoio, the largest exhibition on Mozambican biodiversity will take place, an event organized by BIOFUND, entitled “The Culture of Conservation and Sustainable Development”. The purpose of the event is to disseminate information about Mozambique's rich biodiversity, with particular focus on the province of Manica.

BIOFUND under the Mozbio 2 Project in partnership with the COMBO Project and the Government of Madagascar held from 7 to 14 July 2019 in the cities of Andasibe and Antananarivo in Madagascar an exchange experience visit on biodiversity offsets with the goal of achieving “no Net biodiversity loss” at the level of development projects.

The World Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation Day is celebrated on 26 July. According to UNESCO, it is estimated that worldwide mangrove coverage will have halved in the last 40 years due to coastal development and the impact of climate change.

The Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development, through the National Conservation Area Administration (ANAC), in partnership with USAID's SPEED + Project, is in the process of preparing the Proposed Regulations on Management, Protection and Sustainanble Use of Avifauna.

This was one of the results of the forum held last June 18th over the theme "The Wonders and Challenges of the Largest Marine Conservation Area of Mozambique", correlated with the General Assembly of BIOFUND, held at the Montebelo Indy Maputo Congress, Maputo.

Under the United Nations International Day of Oceans motto - No to Marine Pollution on June 8th , BIOFUND, in partnership with the Fisheries Museum and the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP), carried out a number of environmental education on the importance of coastal and marine biodiversity for the life of living beings.

The VII General Assembly of the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) was held in the city of Maputo. The event was held on June 18th 2019 under the chairmanship of Professor Doctor Lourenço do Rosário and attended by more than 50 representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions related to the conservation sector. During the session, the members of this body approved the 2018 activities and finance reports, as well as the plan and budget for 2019.

The VII General Assembly of BIOFUND will take place next June 18, and this year, the theme of the subsequent forum, at Montebelo Indy Maputo Congress, at 5:00 p.m., will be "The Wonders and Challenges of the Largest Marine Conservation Area in the Country "