Matsapha – The Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) engaged local communities from 6–9 October 2025 in a series of consultations aimed at strengthening participation in biodiversity planning and advancing a gender-responsive National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
The workshops, following earlier sessions in Shiselweni, focused on how communities can promote nature-positive change through shared knowledge and collaboration.
ENTC officials noted that environmental stewardship is a collective responsibility, with communities playing a central role in managing and protecting natural resources. The consultations also stressed the link between gender and biodiversity, showing how both women and men contribute uniquely to conservation and sustainable resource use.
Inclusion emerged as a key theme, with participation from women, youth, and persons with disabilities seen as essential for equity and effective environmental action. Community leadership in decision-making was identified as a driver of local ownership and sustainability.
The sessions also explored the connection between social and environmental wellbeing, highlighting how addressing environmental challenges can reduce vulnerabilities and gender-based risks. ENTC emphasized that lasting conservation outcomes depend on collective action and shared accountability.
The Commission thanked the communities of Nkhaba, Mbelebeleni, Lomahasha, Shewula, and Dvokolwako for their active participation and commitment to inclusive biodiversity conservation.
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