Project overview

FPP carried out a project “Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas in Africa:
From Principles to Practice” between 2001 and 2003.

This was developed with the aim of promoting dialogue between African indigenous peoples and conservation bodies, to break down barriers of ignorance and misunderstanding and to seek viable ways of working together to implement more sustainable and just conservation practices. The study builds upon two other similar projects carried out by FPP in Latin America and Asia to document the impact of protected areas on indigenous peoples.

As part of the process, in conjuction with CAURWA (Communauté des Autochtones Rwandais) FPP held an international conference in Kigali in September 2001. This event brought together for the first time representatives of indigenous communities, African conservation managers and staff, and members of indigenous peoples’ support organisations. The conference provided a forum in which indigenous peoples from seven African countries presented their own case studies documenting the impacts of conservation projects on their lands and livelihoods. The discussion of each of these situations generated new insights into the issues and provided a constructive basis for much-needed future collaboration between affected communities and conservation agencies. As a follow-up to the contacts made with conservation managers, the following year the participating communities carried out practical activities identified during the conference to move the dialogue forward. (Click here for the project briefing of March 2003.)

A book has now been published in English and French (August/September 2003) –
Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas in Africa: From principles to practice – containing the full case studies, a detailed account of the proceedings, and a report of follow-up activities. We have also produced a short video on CD, capturing the key elements of this project.
(See below for online purchase.)

The case studies from the book, plus the syntheses of their respective conference discussions, are available in pdf format below:   English   /    français