A trans-frontier conservation area (TFCA) straddles the boundaries of two or more countries where the natural and cultural resources are collaboratively managed by the governments and/or authorities involved. 

Each TFCA is unique with its own species, biodiversity and local communities. That being said – in our four films we outline an approach to producing a series. We deliver the narrative as a combination between a well-suited voice over and characters on the ground that can speak to the specific nature of each TFCA. This will allow for a balance between the broad overview of the TFCA and its various programmes, as well as a human-centred narrative. 

Our focus is on how TFCAs work with communities around their areas to help preserve spaces as well as create more space for threatened species. The idea is that conservation and protection of land and species create economic opportunities for local people, leading to sustainable development and peaceful co-existence. Each TFCA showcases a successful partnership between countries, people and nature.

SADC Transfrontier Conservation areas

SADC boosts a total of 18 Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in 16 countries in different stages of development, covering over 1,000,000 km2. This video explains the TFCA concept through exchange with the people living and working in TFCAs

Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Area

The 350-million-year-old Fish River canyon, the world’s second-largest, meanders between the jagged mountain cliffs of southern Africa.  This seemingly arid landscape is a biodiversity hotspot, home to some of the world’s richest succulent flora. In 2003 Namibia and South Africa started a collaboration in the area, joining the Namibian hot springs game park with the Richsterveld national park in South Africa. A number of traditional Nama settlements sit along the edge of the Richtersveld route. The TFCA conservation programmes support community members by teaching them the correct management of livestock and sustainable farming.  The inter-collaboration between South African and Namibia is more than just conservation. It is about securing our connection to nature, sharing cultures across borders, and allowing the free movement of wildlife.

Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area

Meet the people living and working in Lubombo TFCA, bordering Eswatini, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Encompassing over 10.000 square kilometers, Lubombo stretched from the vast shared coastal plains in the east, the revered ‘Big Five’ game through to the breathtaking Lubombo Mountain range rising over the three countries.

Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area

Meet the people living and working in Malawi-Zambia TFCA. After seeing a rise in deforestation, two beautiful countries came together in 2004 and established the Malawi Zambia TFCA, with a solution to protect their variety of land-uses national parks, wildlife, and forest reserves. All this whilst fostering a good relationship between the game management and the communities living in communal areas, villages, and towns within and around the TFCA.

Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

Meet the people living and working in KAZA TFCA, bordering Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This 520,000km² TFCA connects critical ecosystems that harbor the largest contiguous transboundary population of elephants and provides critical habitat for other endangered lion and wild dog populations as well as 600 species of birds.