Search Climate Insights Directory

Operation Rachel was a bilateral security initiative between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) designed to destroy surplus weapons from previous conflicts. Between 1995 and 1999, four distinct operations (Rachel I-IV) were conducted, resulting in the destruction of 11,891 firearms and over 3 million rounds of ammunition. The operations were intelligence-driven and utilized an unorthodox approach of rewarding informers and granting undeclared amnesty to avoid politicizing the recovery of caches. While successful in building trust between two historically hostile security apparatuses, the operations faced challenges including high costs, language barriers, and fluctuating political stability in Mozambique. The report concludes that while the operations reduced the immediate supply of illegal arms smuggled into South Africa, long-term success requires addressing the socio-economic drivers of violence and integrating bilateral efforts into broader regional frameworks like SADC and SARPCCO.

The project aims to reduce community vulnerability to climate change and improve livelihoods by mainstreaming adaptation into national policies and development plans. In Mozambique, the focus is on community-based forest fire management and early warning systems. In Kenya, the project implements drought-resistant crops and improved agricultural techniques. In Rwanda, the effort centers on increasing the resilience of the hydropower sector through natural resource management and energy planning. Regional knowledge sharing involves pilot countries and observer nations Tanzania and Madagascar.

The report analyzes Mozambique's legal landscape regarding traditional knowledge (TK), highlighting a fragmented system where protection is often indirect. While the 2007 ABS Regulation (Decree No. 19/2007) is the primary tool for biodiversity-related TK, it faces implementation challenges and is currently under revision. Other frameworks, including the Industrial Property Code and Copyright Law, offer limited or specific protections like geographical indications. The document emphasizes the role of community participation in natural resource management and identifies poverty, weak community institutions, and lack of legal awareness as major barriers to effective TK protection.

The CHAPOSA project investigated charcoal production systems around Lusaka, Dar es Salaam, and Maputo between 1989 and 1998. Findings indicate a significant reduction in closed forest cover in all three areas, with the most severe depletion around Maputo. Charcoal serves as a critical income source for rural poor and a stable, affordable energy source for urban poor, creating a socio-economic dependency that complicates regulation. The report argues that current fiscal and licensing systems are inadequately enforced, treating forests as open-access resources. To mitigate deforestation, the authors recommend a coordinated approach: enforcing licensing to increase prices and fund forest management, while simultaneously providing rural income alternatives (e.g., improved agriculture) and urban energy substitutes (e.g., expanded electricity access).