Abstract:
Though there are various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by the
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), through the Commu nal Areas Management of Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) and wildlife conservation
in Zimbabwe is facing perennial challenges that range from illegal hunting, wildlife
habitat fragmentation, and wildlife retaliatory killings. The main objective of the study
is to assess the adoption of effective CSR initiatives on communities around Hwange
National Park on wildlife conservation. A case study research design was used where the
target population was communities living around Hwange National Park. Purposive
and simple random sampling techniques were used. The data collected from question naires was analysed using SPSS and interview data was placed into thematic areas
according to objectives. Findings were that there is a legal framework for CSR in place
but the challenge is on its implementation. It was noted in the study that the community
is not being involved in the conservation of wildlife. The findings also indicated that the
economic situation is affecting the daily operation of Hwange National Park; hence, there
is reduction of CSR funding which includes the provision of social services. From the
study, it was observed that some of the infrastructure like boreholes and roads were no
longer being serviced on time due to limited resources. The study recommends that the
use of education and awareness campaigns are essential for the conservation of the
resources in the protected area.
