In Mudzi and Rushinga districts of Zimbabwe, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, concluded a week-long series of capacity-building workshops aimed at empowering traditional leaders to drive sustainable management and restoration of Miombo woodlands. The workshops, held from 9–13 February 2026, trained over 200 traditional leaders and Community Resource Monitors in technical, legal, and governance skills to strengthen local natural resource management systems. This initiative is part of the USD 5 million Zimbabwe–Mozambique Transboundary Integrated Sustainable Management of Miombo Woodlands Project, funded by the Italian Government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Traditional leaders, including Chiefs, Headmen, and Village Heads, play a pivotal role in shaping community behavior, enforcing local laws, and promoting environmental stewardship. Their engagement is strategic for the success of Miombo woodland restoration in Southern Africa. The training highlighted the value of indigenous knowledge systems, such as customary land-use practices and cultural norms, in guiding effective woodland conservation. Participants recognized that integrating local wisdom into management practices ensures sustainability and higher community acceptance.
The workshops also emphasized the legal authority of traditional leaders under the Traditional Leaders Act, encouraging them to enforce both community rules and national forestry legislation. The sessions reinforced the importance of informed, culturally grounded decision-making and participatory law-making, ensuring communities are involved in developing and implementing natural resource regulations. Multi-institutional collaboration among Rural District Councils, the Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police was strengthened, and leaders committed to transparency, particularly in land allocation processes. Village Heads were ceremonially positioned as frontline custodians of natural resources, symbolically given the “bow and arrow” to signify their monitoring and enforcement roles.
Stakeholders emphasized the national importance of protecting Miombo woodlands, noting their critical contributions to climate resilience, water security, biodiversity preservation, and rural livelihoods. The workshops highlighted the economic benefits of well-managed woodlands, including non-timber forest products like baobab and marula, improved soil health, and carbon storage potential. To institutionalize local stewardship, the workshops resolved to establish Resource Management Committees in each ward, responsible for monitoring resource use, developing locally appropriate rules, and supporting enforcement efforts.
The project plans to strengthen existing committees and establish new ones where necessary, providing practical training in forest resource inventory and monitoring, value addition to non-timber forest products, fire prevention and management, seedling production, tree planting, and sustainable forest management. A dedicated session on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) ensured traditional leaders are equipped to safeguard community members and uphold ethical standards in ecosystem restoration initiatives.
Traditional leaders expressed strong commitment to the initiative. Chief Mukota of Mudzi district highlighted the mutual benefits for communities and Miombo woodlands, emphasizing leadership in supporting resource monitoring committees. Village Headwoman Chioniso Chichovhe noted the empowerment of women in environmental leadership, challenging traditional gender norms. Chief Makuni of Rushinga district reinforced his responsibility as a cultural custodian to lead restoration efforts and pass knowledge throughout his district.
The workshops demonstrated that empowering traditional leaders with technical, legal, and governance skills, while integrating local knowledge and ethical accountability, is essential for the sustainable restoration and management of Miombo woodlands, ensuring long-term ecological and socio-economic benefits for Zimbabwean communities.
