Malidadi Langa

Investment in agriculture productivity & building resilient community livelihoods is probably the only pathway to sustainable conservation and climate action. The faster funders and policy makers wake up to this reality, the better for people, nature, and the planet itself.

I recently have had opportunities to fly over the vastness of Southern Africa, East Africa, & West Africa as I crisscrossed Africa to promote @AICA. Looking below, it dawned on me that the continent is plagued by a dearth of investment in agriculture which drives habitat loss

@MikeHudema @IUCNRedList Turning the situation around is certainly urgent but calls for bold action to address root causes. One such bold action is to increase investment in raising agricultural productivity, stem habitat loss, and compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict to promote coexistence.

Estimates based on the @IUCNRedList tell us that one million species are currently threatened with extinction. Wildlife populations have declined by 73% since 1970. Let's ensure in 2025 we turn that around. #ActOnClimate #Protect Biodiversity

@IUCN @TRAFFIC_WLTrade Sounds like premature celebration when range states like South Africa can lose over 400 rhinos in a year to poaching even after investing billions in anti-poaching and law enforcement initiatives. Maybe there's a third way; investing in human well-being & community livelihoods

Poaching of African rhinos down - but drought and other threats drive losses globally 🦏 Learn more in our report with @TRAFFIC_WLTrade ➡️ info.iucn.org/4m55S8W #WildlifeTrade #Poaching

@AWFCEO @DavisHigiro @NewTimesRwanda @AWF_Official @nsapatric @AndreaAthanas1 @RDBrwanda @visitrwanda_now @CityofKigali @MusanzeDistrict Sadly all Great Apes landscapes are under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation due to deforestation and encroachment into wildlife corridors. @AICA we recently met in Sierra Leone to mobilise #IPLCs in the Great Apes countries for action to save these iconic species

“In Rwanda, a gorilla is a school, a clinic, a road, a micro-financing instrument. It’s not just economic anymore, it’s cultural.” That is what I shared in my recent conversation with @DavisHigiro of @NewTimesRwanda. Gorillas are not just wildlife, they are the heartbeat of Musanze’s economy, the pride of a nation, and a symbol of Africa’s ability to weave conservation into its DNA of development. Rwanda has shown the world how to package biodiversity into one of the planet’s most valuable conservation products, where a single gorilla trek fuels livelihoods, builds infrastructure, and unites communities. This is not about loving animals more than people; it is about recognizing that our wealth is above the ground, not beneath it. Africa is biodiversity-rich, and that is our competitive advantage. I also reminded young Africans that conservation is their inheritance and their fight. “You are not tomorrow’s leaders, you are today’s. Stand up.” The war against biodiversity loss has already chosen you, and your voice, your energy, and your leadership will determine how Africa lives in the decades to come. Read the full article here - newtimes.co.rw/article/29490/…

@IUCN The very reason it's sensible to address root causes of deforestation & habitat loss. Investing in human well-being to address poverty & livelihood vulnerability is probably the smartest conservation strategy. Certainly not guns, military gear, and unaccountable law enforcement

Over 80% of the world’s terrestrial #biodiversity can be found in forests, their destruction threatens the survival of many species. Learn how we can reverse these losses ow.ly/5HzM50DPRsS #GenerationRestoration

@IUCN @MumbaMusondam It's particularly a huge opportunity for Africa's #IPLCs to demand secure land and resource rights as a basis for sustainable conservation and climate action. It's a tragedy & shameful that decades after political independence, #IPLCs remain squatters on their own ancestral land

The #IUCNcongress is a pivotal opportunity to elevate ambition, accelerate action and scale up collaborative solutions that address the needs of both #nature and people. Hear from global experts like @MumbaMusondam this October. ➡️ bit.ly/4iFPpGh

Looking forward to a thought provoking keynote address that will unpack what needs to be done to 'put people at the centre of conservation'. From land and resource rights, human-wildlife conflict, to benefit sharing & direct funding for IPLCs. @AWF_Official @IUCN @LeadersSouthern

Heading to Monrovia, to participate in the launch ceremony for the AICA Liberia Chapter. AICA is the Pan-African Alliance of Indigenous and Peoples and Local Communities stewarding Africa's natural resources. Probably the most enduring APAC outcome. @LeadersSouthern @IUCN

@Greenisamissio1 You're absolutely right; unfortunately in Africa deforestation, habitat degradation, and biodiversity loss continue to be driven by poverty & livelihood pressures. Yet forest land restoration initiatives tend to be technocratic and not focused on addressing the root causes.

The forest is important. Not only for us humans, but also for animals and plants. The forest fulfils many functions from which we humans benefit in many ways. We should treat our forests accordingly - with care and sustainability.💚🌱🌿☘️🌲🌳🍀💚

@IUCN @TRAFFIC_WLTrade Rhino conservation must also change from being perceived as a technocratic & elitist Northern enterprise to one that is locally owned,and community driven based on the utility and intrinsic value that communities place on it. @LeadersSouthern @Jamma_Int

Intelligence-led enforcement, community engagement and secure habitats can reverse declines in rhino numbers with a new report showing some success in Asia and parts of Africa. 🦏 Read the details in our new rhino report with @TRAFFIC_WLTrade info.iucn.org/4m55S8W

@IUCN @TRAFFIC_WLTrade There's need to revisit #community engagement & scale up models that shifts the balance of power from northern NGOs to legitimate community organizations & allow for increased investment in human well-being & resilient livelihoods. Militarization & law enforcement have failed us

@IUCN @TRAFFIC_WLTrade In absolute terms, poaching numbers remain alarmingly high. If one country can lose 83 rhinos in 3 months, the crisis is very much with us. Legalise rhino horn trade to increase supply, bring down prices, & disincentivise poaching and illegal trade. @Jamma_Int @LeadersSouthern

Today I took time off to visit the @LeadersSouthern office in Windhoek. I felt proud that CLN has progressed from an idea at the Africa Wildlife Economy Summit in Vic Falls in 2020 to reality today. All in pursuit of putting people at the centre of conservation in Southern Africa

@Roads_Authority Sadly the naughty traffic police will slow traffic down to a snarl again. Whatever they are looking for!

This key infrastructure project, being rehabilitated by China Civil Engineering and supervised by consultant L. Gravam, will connect seamlessly with Kenyatta Road. Once completed, it is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and accessibility throughout the city.

SHARRAR STREET TRANSFORMATION UNDERWAY! Upgrading has officially begun on Sharrar Street in Lilongwe City. The vital 0.9-kilometer stretch, running from Standard Bank to Shoprite, is being funded by the Government of Malawi.

Back in Windhoek for regional NBSAP knowledge exchange event; great for sharing experiences and mutual learning. Descending on approach to Hosea Kutako Airport, the aerial view was spectacularly green. Never seen it like this before; great for people, livestock, and wildlife!

centerforahumaneeconomy.org/2025/02/18/ele… Looks like powerful animal welfare groups have captured Botswana elephants; CBNRM and all it stands for might be at risk! What are casually called wildlife corridors here, to local communities they are actually villages, people, farms, and their food!

@vonderleyen How I wish the same could apply to elephants for Southern Africa where they are not only a human-wildlife conflict menace for extremely poor people but also destroying their own habitats. What's good for the goose must also be good for the gander! @LeadersSouthern

In some European regions, wolf packs have become a real danger especially for livestock. Today, we are proposing a change of EU law that will help local authorities to actively manage wolf populations while protecting both biodiversity and our rural livelihoods.

Heading to Bonamanzi Game Reserve for the African #Rhino Conference; keen to learn how rhino conservation is interfacing with #localcommunities. It's not a long time ago when these majestic creatures used to roam through my village, yet now seriously threatened!

@LeadersSouthern @kawiccoda @IUCN It's small but smarter investments like this one that will make a difference for protected areas, biodiversity recovery, and climate change. Time for a paradigm shift

Maria Phiri's life changed when she received soya seeds from @kawiccoda with funding from BIOPAMA @IUCN. Soya fetches more $$ per kg than maize, while fixing nitrogen and improving soil fertility. She made enough from the 1st harvest to pay bills and save! communityleadersnetwork.org/soya-productio…