Maputo, 9 Apr (AIM) – Mozambique’s Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Albino, challenged the country’s safari operators to attract young people to the wildlife economy and its value chain.

According to the minister, who was speaking on Wednesday, in Maputo, at a Conference on Wildlife Economy, the low involvement of young people means that their economic potential is being underutilized.

“If the involvement of safari agents remains remote, it is a sign that the sector is not being sufficiently used, which shows that it has not yet managed to capture the necessary interest, especially from young people”, he said.

To reverse the situation, the minister called on safari operators to reinforce young people’s technical skills.

“It is essential to create space for conservation to translate into effective development, with visible benefits for all stakeholders, from park managers to local communities”, he warned.

In turn, Carlos Santos, president of the NGO Biofund, stated “There are clear signs that wildlife already has an important importance, but it can contribute much more to the national economy. We need a results-oriented debate capable of aligning conservation with economic development”.

The head of the country’s Safari Operators Association, Adamo Valy, considered the meeting an opportunity to redefine the direction of the sector through the analysis of successful models in the region.

“The role of operators in remote areas, where they often provide direct support to communities, is important because it paves the way for greater institutional coordination to make the sector more competitive and sustainable,” he said.
(AIM)
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