In the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, an area rich in wildlife diversity, it is estimated that 42% of the food insecure families resort to poaching wild animals so they can barter the meat for produce, according to David Lewis of Wildlife Conservation Society (WSC). To stop this phenomenon, WSC established a program whereby individuals who relinquished their wire snares and illegal guns and would receive supplementalmaize for one-year

as well as training in conservation farming. The farmer's crops are in turn purchased at a fair price by Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO), established by WSC, providing the farmer with a reliable source of income. The organization's results over the past four years are proving its model to be innovative and effective for both wildlife conservation and rural economic development.

Background

Wildlife Conservation Society developed COMACO in 2003 as a business approach for engaging communities to plan and implement practical solutions for the management of natural resources across large, environmentally important landscapes. The business, which is a shareholder owned, limited company, is a large-scale trading enterprise designed to build market volume around selected commodities and production technologies that help improve food security, income opportunities and natural resource conservation. To date COMACO has focused on maize, grounduts, honey, rice and soy.

COMACO operates through a network of trading depots located in rural areas, often in close proximity to a national forest or national park. Households who agree to take up improved farming and land use practices compatible with biodiversity conservation are asked to undertake training in these practices and to form producer groups, consisting usually of 10 to 20 members.

Groups are then asked to elect leaders and approve by-laws that require members to adopt zero-tillage and other soil-enhancing practices and prohibit members from such acts as snaring of wildlife, poisoning fish, or burning crop residues. Upon meeting these requirements, producer group members are eligible for the higher commodity prices COMACO offers, and receive price bonuses when compliance is verified. The approach initially targets families who are poor and food impoverished, and thus most apt to rely on consumptive or illegal use of natural resources as a coping strategy.

Commodities purchased through the COMACO Trading Centers (CTC), are generally those that most any household can produce but previously lacked sufficient market incentives to encourage increased production or the adoption of appropriate production technologies. Common commodities purchased include poultry, honey, rice, soybeans, vegetables, and groundnuts. COMACO then processes most of these purchased goods at the regional CTCs into higher-valued packaged products with its own environmentally branded label, "It's Wild!", and markets them domestically in ways that will leverage better prices for their registered producers.

Recently, COMACO business managers and support staff have been establishing distribution networks and contracts so demand will be known in advance of the growing season, thus creating a market-based approach that can be used to influence crop selection by more accurately predicting crop prices in advance of the planting season.

Results to Date

The organization, by its own internal estimates, has formed over 3000 producer groups with more than 32,000 members who have registered through one of 36 depots and trade directly with their respective CTC, located in one of three different Districts. This has resulted in substantial improvements in food security for over 17,000 families using a combination of conservation farming techniques. In addition, household income has benefited from COMACO™s success in increasing producer prices by over 100% for most of the commodities COMACO™ processes and sells.

Use of depots as adult learning centers to promote better land use practices and life skills has enabled marginalized communities living in remote areas to better achieve household needs without degrading their environment or exposing themselves to health or social risks.

COMACO™s impact on conservation has also significantly reduced threats to wildlife. This year COMACO™ will perform their bi-annual ariel survey to assess the impact on wildlife, however internal estimates on the threat reduction to wildlife include:

• Over 40,000 snares and 800 illegal firearms surrendered voluntarily by producer group members since 2002, contributing to an annual saving of over 4000 wild animals.
• 242 known poachers reformed and over 60% now earning alternative income from legal markets supported by COMACO
• Documented wildlife increases for 8 out of 9 wildlife species

Lessons Learned

The results of COMACO™ have been substantial and many lessons can be learned from this conservation focused organization. Operating as a highly decentralized, household-focused, incentive-driven organization that is developing revenue sources in hopes of attaining financial self sufficiency has been a key to X early successes. However, implementing such a model can be very difficult and requires a long term commitment as well as an in-depth knowledge of the target communities. One of the key lessons to be found in the X model is that rural development does not have any quick fixes; it takes a long term commitment and an in-depth knowledge of all things local.

Dr. Dale Lewis, WCS Zambia country director, is the founder and head of COMACO™. His extensive work for over 30 years in Zambia™s Luangwa Valley has helped him gain long-standing, key relationships in local villages and an excellent understanding of the problems facing the communities. Using this knowledge, COMACO™ has been able to appropriately intervene in a manner that is exceptionally well received by local communities, which in turn has created immediate buy in and buzz around the program.

A second takeaway from COMACO™ is that a successful development model assists people to concentrate on what they would like to do and what they know. Building human capacity is a key component to any development project; however it is just as important to align people with jobs which they are suited for and interested in doing.

With COMACO, a network of extension workers educate farmers in order to optimize their yields through conservation farming techniques and gives them a fair price for their crops in return for adherence to conservation farming. What it does not do is make rural farmers attempt to run a business through a cooperative structure. Producer groups are included in regular CTC operational meetings and their input is highly valued, however business decisions of where and at what price to sell the value-added products is the job of COMACO Trading Center business managers. This approach allows the trading centers to concentrate on running a profitable business, where profits are returned to farmers for their adoption of conservation farming, and the farmers can focus on improving their yields and farming techniques. Both groups understand their roles which are in line with their desires and with the underlying mission of COMACO.

COMACO is an evolving model for conservation, buffer zone management and business development. It is also providing excellent insight for all rural development. However the success of COMACO to-date is a warning that rural development is not an easy process. It requires a deep understanding of the target areas in order to align people with roles that meet their needs and wants.

John Fay is a 2004 Cornell Johnson School graduate and works as a development consultant, focusing in Zambia and Senegal. He works with COMACO as a part time business analyst through a USAID SANREM grant in conjunction with Cornell™s Veterinary School. The purpose of this grant is to provide technical assistance to help optimize the WCS Zambia project COMACO™, while also analyzing and reporting on the model.

To learn more about COMACO™, visit www.itswild.org.