Zambezi River Basin

© Leonissah Munjoma

The Ramsar Convention is a global environmental treaty governing the use of wetlands. The treaty was signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. The convention’s mission is the “conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and international actions and international cooperation as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”. Wetlands are among the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Ramsar Convention

One of the main activities of the convention is the designation of wetlands of international importance as Ramsar sites. The other activities are the promotion of wise use of wetlands in each signatory country and international cooperation to further the wise use of wetlands and their resources. Angola and Zimbabwe are the only countries in the Zambezi basin that are not parties to the Ramsar Convention.

Table 1.2. Major Wetlands and Ramsar Sites

Country

Wetland

Area (ha)

Utilisation

Ramsar listed

Botswana

Okavango Delta System

5 537 400

Hunting, tourism, subsistence farming, fishing, and livestock grazing Fishing, agriculture (rice and dimba cultivation), and livestock grazing Fishing, agriculture, animal rearing, hunting, trade and handicrafts

9 Dec 1996

Malawi

Lake Chilwa

224 800

14 Nov 1996

Mozambique

Lago Niassa e Zona Costeira

1 363 700

26 April 2011

Marromeu Complex

688 000

Wildlife, fishing, agriculture

3 Aug 2004

Namibia

Etosha Pan, Lake Oponono & Cuvelai drainage

600 000

Farming, fishing domestic water supply, wildlife

23 Aug 1995

Orange River Mouth

500

Restricted recreation

23 Aug 1995

Sandwich Harbour

16 500

Fishing, guano collection, hunting, tourism

23 Aug 1995

Walvis Bay

12 600

Wildlife, recreation, salt production

23 Aug 1995

Tanzania

Kilombero Valley Floodplain

796 735

Fishing, tourism, agriculture

25 April 2002

Lake Natron Basin

224 781

Semi-nomadic pastoralism, tourism, planned soda ash exploitation

4 July 2001

Malagarasi-Muyovozi Wetlands

3 250 000

Hunting, honey gathering, harvesting forest products and cattle grazing

13 April 2000

Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar site

596 908

Fishing, cultivation (especially rice), seaweed farming and tourism

29 Oct 2004

Zambia

Bangweulu Swamps

1 100 000

Ecotourism

28 Aug 1991

Busanga Swamps

200 000

Wildlife, Fishing, tourism

2 Feb 2007

Kafue Flats

600 500

Wildlife, fishing, grazing, tourism

28 Aug 1991

Luangwa Flood Plains

250 000

Wildlife

2 Feb 2007

Lukanga Swamps

260 000

Wildlife, Reeds for basket making

2 Feb 2007

Mweru wa Ntipa

490 000

Wildlife, fishing

2 Feb 2007

Tanganyika

230 000

Fishing, forest products

2 Feb 2007

Zambezi Floodplains

900 000

Wildlife, fishing, reeds and sedges for handicraft, rice cultivation

2 Feb 2007

Zimbabwe

Mid-Zambezi Valley and Mana Pools

36 000

Tourism

Not listed

Save River System

Agriculture

Not listed

Gorhwe and Manjinji Pans

4 000

Wildlife

Not listed

Pans of the Western Districts

15 000 (estimate)

Tourism

Not listed

Source: Wetlands International 2011

17