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The Ramsar Convention provide the framework for international cooperation for the conservation of wetlands, the first and, so far, the only ecosystem type which has its own international treaty.
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, or the Ramsar Convention, named after the Iranian city in which it was adopted in 1971, because effective four years later. It now has contracting parties all over the world, including Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. The remaining Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries have not yet signed it.
The parties to the convention agreed to include wetland conservation in their national planning and to promote their sound utilisation, especially as habitat for waterbirds.
WETLANDS
Wetlands are low-lying areas of land often covered by water. These could be natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, and include areas such as marshers, fens, peatlands and dambos.
Wetlands comprise lakes, rivers, swamps, dambos, estuaries, coastal lagoons, deltas, mangroves and floodplains. They are among the world’s important natural resources in economic, cultural and environmental terms. The floodplains of the Zambezi river and the Okavango delta are among southern Africa'’ major wetlands.
Zambia has the widest occurrence and most unique wetland qualities in the SADC region.
In contrast, Namibia’s wetlands are the rarest ecosytem type, making up about four percent of the surface area of this mostly dry country.
IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS
Wetlands are mot productive in the short-and long-term when left in their natural state. They serve a wide variety of functions such as water and nutrient retention, flood control and tourisn.
WATER RETENTION
Water retained during times of drought keeps surrounding areas moist and ensures that boreholes, springs and wells do not dry up. Even perennial rivers are maintaned by wetlands.
FLOOD CONTROL
Wetlands associated with streams and rivers slow floodwaters by acting as large, shallow bowls which reduce the speed of flowing water. Wetlands act as a sponge, storing flood water and slowly releasing it to downstream areas. This greatly reduces flood damage, particularly erosion, and ensures a ore steady supply of water throughout the year. Heavy rainfall is soaked up, preventing flooding and damage to houses, farms and people. For example, the Barotse floodplains which occupy much of western Zambia, retain the seasonal flood waters, and then release them down the Zambezi river throughout the year. Without the floodplains, the Zambezi would be devastated by floods all the way to the Indian Ocean, during the rainy season.
Plants in the wetlands plays an important role in holding back the water.
WATER PURIFICATION
Wetlands improve water quality as they are natural filters which trap sediments, toxic substances, and even disease-causing ( pathogenic) bacteria. Pollutants such as heavy metals (e.g mercury, lead) and pesticides, may be trapped by chemical and biological processes.
Therefore, water from the wetland is cleaner than the water flowing in. The Lukanga swamps in Zambia’s central province retain toxins from the Copperbelt before they are discharged into the Kafue river.
Nutrient retention
Wetlands act as a balancing mechanism as they retain nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, needed by plants to grow or removing them if there is a buildup. These nutrients are commonly released into the wetland through agrochemical application and durban runoff of waste water.
Once in excess, nutrients can become pollutants, degrading water quality through enhancement of algal bloom and unwanted aquatic weeds, as at Lake Chivero in Zimbabwe and Kafue basin in Zambia. However, wetlands have the remarkable property of removing excessive nutrients.
Tourism
Many wetlands provide good habitats for wildlife and are the principal resources for southern African tourism and hunting industries. Tourism activities in wetlands include boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, game viewing, swimming, white water rafting, wind surfing, sight seeing, nature photography.
Namibia’s Etosha pan, Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Tanzania’s Lake Manyara, Zambia’s Kafue flats, Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba and Mana Pools and the coastal areas of Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa are popular tourist destinations in the SADC region.
Wetlands are the principal habitats for wildlife. Some animals are completely dependent on wetlands while others use the ecosystem for only part of their lives. The sitatunga and hippos depend on wetlands for their survival. The wattled crane, for example, depends on wetlands for breeding. About 130 species of waterbirds in southern African live in wetlands.
Irrigation and water supply
Wetlands are sources of water for domestic use, agriculture, livestock, and industry. Reservoirs and rivers are the main sources of industrial and municipal water supply whereas floodplains, swamps and dambos provide water for agriculture. Micro-scale irrigation with simple technology is widespread in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Seasonally receding wetlands’ flooding can be used to grow a variety of crops, including vegetables.
Cultivation
Much of southern Africa depends on wetlands for dry season-farming. In Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, rice, vegetables and maize have traditionally been cultivated in dambos.
Dambos, meaning valley meadowland, occupy about 10 percent of central southern Africa, including parts of Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and have been used as agricultural grounds for many generations.
Grazing land
Natural pastures within the wetlands and on their margins are an important source of food for grazing animals (including cattle in some areas). The Okavango delta, Barotse floodplain and Kafue flats are some of the major grazing grounds for cattle throughout the year.
THREATS TO WETLANDS
For some communities, wetlands are seen as wastelands to be converted into
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