Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa

13/10/2026

Follow the Dr. Albert K. Barume channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCofeL4Crfkh3tbbU1Q

Follow Dr. Albert K. Barume's WhatsApp Channel. Updates on the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.. Join 112 followers for the latest updates.

12/10/2026

'The lion, symbol of our King (Ingwenyama), and the matriarch elephant, symbol of our Queen Mother (iNdlovukazi), both appear on the Eswatini national crest. During the colonial period, both species became locally extinct'.

Read more: https://www.communityleadersnetwork.org/eswatini-traditional-hunting/

12/10/2026

'Adaptation for the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho is best centered around climate resilience for improved agriculture productivity that provides food security for the Basotho Nation. One of Lesotho’s greatest agricultural assets is its biological diversity. Traditional crop varieties, livestock breeds and locally adapted farming knowledge represent resources that have developed under the country’s particular environmental conditions. Over the years, climate change has created pressure to find crops and agricultural systems capable of tolerating new environmental conditions. Therefore, it has become essential to explore introduction of new biological technologies while taking appropriate safeguards (bio-safety) to prevent ecological risks, including effects on biodiversity'.

Read more: https://www.communityleadersnetwork.org/lesotho-food-security/

📸: Department of Agricultural Research

05/10/2026

'The Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO), in collaboration with its partners; Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and the North West District Council – Ngamiland CBRNM Forum, proudly concluded the 2026 Community-Based Natural Resource Management – CBNRM Forum, marking a significant milestone in Botswana’s community conservation journey'.

The Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO), in collaboration with its partners; Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), Ministry of Environment and Tourism and North

27/09/2026

𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐂 𝐒𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Today, (27th September 2026) the Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa joins the global travel community in celebrating the World Tourism Day under the theme: Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.

As artificial intelligence transforms how destinations are discovered, managed, and experienced, we must ensure that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in community-led nature initiatives, from the rich cultural landscapes of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho to Namibia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and across all SADC countries, are active co-architects of this digital evolution.

When harnessed responsibly, AI acts as a catalyst for regenerative tourism, giving IPLCs direct control over digital storytelling, optimized resource management, visitor volume forecasting, and direct-to-community revenue sharing.

By placing local voices at the helm of technology, we redesign regional tourism into a force that heals ecosystems and protects cultural heritage rather than depleting it.

Together, we can ensure the digital age empowers the true guardians of nature while fostering sustainable travel that benefits all.

24/09/2026

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 - 𝑴𝒂𝒖𝒏

Between September 22nd and 24th in Maun, key stakeholders across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) met in Maun, Botswana, to turn regenerative nature-based tourism into actionable realities.

Launching a landmark regional roundtable, KAZA Executive Director Dr. Nyambe Nyambe emphasized that tourism must serve as a catalyst to restore transboundary ecosystems and build lasting economic prosperity. Representing the CLN, IPLC Officer Job Morris and CLN Treasurer Mr. Siyoka Simasiku attended the convening to ensure community voices remain central to these strategies.

Moving beyond traditional metrics like arrival numbers and revenue growth, true success must be judged by how tourism strengthens vital water systems, wildlife corridors, land, and local communities. Achieving this requires innovative financing models, seamless cross-border collaboration, and evidence-based commitments applied on the ground. Through geographic working groups, delegates drafted targeted interventions designed to deliver measurable, lasting impacts across the region.

For CLN, an organization advancing rural leadership across the SADC region, this shift is critical. Regenerative tourism places local communities at the center of natural resource governance, protects land rights, and guarantees that conservation directly fortifies the livelihoods of those living alongside wildlife.

24/09/2026

24/09/2026

🚨 LAST CALL. Applications Close Soon!

Applications for the Human-Centred Conservation Storytelling Grant close on 29 September.

We’re looking for powerful stories that show how conservation is shaped by people, their rights, leadership, livelihoods and lived realities, and how these dimensions influence conservation outcomes.

If you’ve been thinking about applying, now is the time to get your application in. ⏳

🔗 Find out more and apply: https://jammaconservationandcommunities.com/hcc-storytelling-grant/

04/09/2026

'The Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO), in collaboration with its partners; Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), Ministry of Environment and Tourism and North West District Council – Ngamiland CBRNM Forum, proudly concluded the 2026 Community-Based Natural Resource Management – CBNRM Forum, marking a significant milestone in Botswana’s community conservation journey.'

The Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO), in collaboration with its partners; Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), Ministry of Environment and Tourism and North

01/09/2026