How can the sustainable development of rural populations be combined with biodiversity conservation in zones of substantial interaction between people and nature?
The Trans-Frontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in southern Africa are complex socio-ecosystems in which African savannahs are shared between traditional agricultural activities and African wildlife. For farming systems already fragile as a result of climatic, economic and political constraints, the interactions between people and the environment are often fraught with conflict (crop destruction by elephants, or poaching). Research helps to manage these conflicts and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources by encouraging farming practices that respect the environment and biodiversity.