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 in spearheading sustainable management and restoration of Miombo woodlands in Mudzi and Rushinga districts in Zimbabwe.
The workshops, held from 9 – 13 February 2026, equipped more than 200 traditional leaders and Community Resource Monitors with technical, legal, and governance skills to strengthen local natural resource management systems. This capacity‑building initiative forms 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 (AICS).
“Traditional leaders including Chiefs, Headmen, and Village Heads are the cultural and administrative custodians of Zimbabwe’s rural livelihoods and landscapes. As such, they hold an essential role in shaping community behaviour, enforcing local laws, and driving environmental stewardship. Their involvement is therefore strategic to the success of the national Miombo restoration agenda in Southern Africa,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe.
The training sessions brought forward several important insights that will shape the ongoing restoration of Miombo woodlands. Participants underscored the critical role of indigenous knowledge systems, such as customary land‑use practices, seasonal indicators, and cultural norms, in guiding effective Miombo woodland conservation. Conservation methods rooted in this local wisdom were widely acknowledged as more sustainable and more readily embraced by communities.
The workshops also reinforced the legal authority of traditional leaders under the Traditional Leaders Act, encouraging them to fully exercise their mandate as local law enforcers responsible for ensuring compliance with both community rules and national forestry legislation. A recurring message throughout the sessions was that “a wise leader rides on local expertise,” emphasizing the importance of informed and culturally grounded decision‑making.
“Through these workshops, we were able to clarify the scientific principles behind Miombo woodlands management while also outlining the legal provisions that guide responsible natural resources use in Zimbabwe. Our mandate as the Forestry Commission is not only to provide technical expertise, but also to ensure that communities and traditional leaders fully understand the regulatory frameworks that protect our forests,” said Lucious Mujuru, Provincial Forestry Extension Manager at the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe.
Traditional leaders further highlighted the need for participatory law‑making, stressing that communities must be involved in developing and enforcing natural resource regulations to build legitimacy and trust. The workshops also sought to strengthen collaboration among multiple institutions, including Rural District Councils, the Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, and community monitors.
A firm stance was taken against corruption in land allocation, with leaders committing to uphold transparency and enforce punitive measures when necessary. Village Heads were ceremonially positioned as frontline custodians of natural resources, symbolically “given the bow and arrow” to reinforce their role as the eyes and ears of Chiefs.
“We are particularly grateful for the opportunity provided by Italy and FAO to bring our traditional leaders together and sensitise them on their vital roles in the protection and sustainable management of Miombo woodlands,” said Ropafadzo Mukonde from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
“The Italian Cooperation places communities at the heart of sustainable natural resource management. We were therefore pleased to support this FAO-led training under the Miombo woodlands project, enabling traditional leaders and communities to strengthen their capacity to protect these ecosystems. Often described as the ecological ‘lungs’ of Southern Africa, the Miombo can only be preserved through the active engagement and leadership of local communities,” said Paolo Enrico Sertoli, Head of AICS Maputo Office (also covering Zimbabwe).
Throughout the capacity building sessions, stakeholders emphasized that protecting Miombo woodlands is a matter of national importance, vital for climate resilience, water security, biodiversity preservation, and rural livelihoods. The discourse also explored the economic benefits of well‑managed woodlands, noting that ecosystems rich in non‑timber forest products such as baobab and marula, along with improved soil health and carbon storage potential, generate significant long‑term value for local communities.
The sessions unanimously resolved to establish effective Resource Management Committees in each ward. These committees will be responsible for overseeing/monitoring natural resource use and reporting on compliance, developing locally appropriate rules and regulations in consultation with traditional and local leadership, and supporting enforcement efforts.
“We need to anchor our efforts at the grassroots level to foster a strong sense of ownership and ensure effective and sustainable natural resource management,” said Maxwell Phiri, Miombo National Project Coordinator at FAO.
Going forward, the project envisages strengthening of the existing Resource Management Committees, as well as facilitating their establishment in wards where they are not yet in place. These committees will be capacitated with practical skills to enhance effective natural resource governance and sustainable land management. Capacity-building support will include training in forest resource inventory and monitoring, value addition to Non-Timber Forest Products, fire prevention and management, seedling production, tree planting, and sustainable management of natural forests.
Embedding Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) in ecosystems restoration
A dedicated session on PSEA was included in all the capacity‑building workshops, recognising the crucial role traditional leaders play in safeguarding their communities. Integrating PSEA into these workshops was essential because traditional leaders are often the first point of contact for community grievances and therefore must be equipped with the knowledge to uphold accountability, protect vulnerable groups, and promote ethical conduct in development initiatives.
“For traditional leaders whose influence shapes social norms, the trainings provided a critical platform to strengthen accountability systems at grassroots level. By equipping Chiefs, Headmen, and Village Heads with this knowledge, FAO helped reinforce community trust and safeguard the integrity of the Miombo restoration initiative,” said Leticia Njowola, FAO PSEA Country Focal Point.
Voices of the Traditional Leaders
“This project is going to benefit my community in protecting Miombo woodlands and in turn, the Miombo woodlands improving our livelihoods, a mutual and symbiotic relationship between humans and the ecosystem. With these trainings, I am going to intensify my leadership in supporting the resource monitoring committees established in my wards. I rely on the coordination of my village heads to ensure the objectives of the Miombo restoration are met,” Chief Mukota, Mudzi district.
“As a woman leading my community, this training has empowered me to confidently confront the challenges we face in protecting our Miombo woodlands. For many of us, this thematic area has long been seen as the domain of men, but today I feel equipped to break new ground and show that women, too, have a critical role to play in restoring our environment,” Chioniso Chichovhe, Village Headwoman, Ward 17, Mudzi District.
“As a cultural custodian, I carry a responsibility to my community and to the wider Miombo landscape shared by Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This training has strengthened my commitment to honour our shared history by leading restoration efforts and passing this knowledge throughout my district with the support of my village heads,” said Chief Makuni of Rushinga District.
