Park managers from India, France, and Southern Africa are teaming up to protect some of the world’s most treasured wild places, according to a recent update from the organization. The Parks & Biodiversity Partnership program, led by France’s ONF International and supported by the French Development Agency (AFD), has been building bridges between national parks in Assam, India, the savannas of Southern Africa, and France through knowledge exchange and joint training.
In India’s Kaziranga and Manas National Parks—both recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites—rangers and conservationists face a tough mix of challenges, from poaching to growing populations and the impacts of climate change. In response, the Assam Forest Department called for new international support in 2020, which sparked fresh cooperation across continents. The result was a three-year partnership bringing together India, Southern Africa’s SANParks, and experts from France.
Danny Govender, Sustainability Director at SANParks, described the partnership as a vital response to shared threats.
“The world is more connected than ever, and biodiversity is shaped by all our choices—we need to tackle these global challenges together,” Govender said.
The initiative zeroes in on three key areas: hands-on conservation work like species surveys and restoring habitats, boosting sustainable tourism, and adapting French park management ideas to local needs.
Workshops and study tours over the past three years have drawn in wildlife managers, ministry officials, and forest staff from all three regions. Laura Buis from AFD highlighted that these exchanges cover everything from managing human–wildlife contact to using science in local communities and planning for responsible tourism. Participants from Africa and France have picked up practical lessons from India’s parks, while Indian delegates have learned how others use new technology and research to guard their protected areas.
For Kapil Chandrawal of the Rajasthan Forest Department, the experience showed how a shared passion for nature and creative problem-solving—no matter the country—can make global conservation efforts stronger and more connected.
