Qualifications & Skills

Academic background, encompassed by degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (Biodiversity Conservation), Masters’ (Natural Resources Management), and Bachelors’ (Agriculture).

General professional experience

Over 21 years of general professional experience dedicated to planning and implementation of Development Partner’s funded projects in all aspects related to natural resources management. Mkanda is an expert in the fields of biodiversity conservation, protected areas management, Sustainable Forest Management, and Sustainable Land Management. He has worked for different institutions at different capacities in the implementation of donor-funded projects as follows:

i)  Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (MAZA TFCA) Project - KfW/EU;

ii) Mainstreaming Sustainable Forest Management in the Woodlands of Western Tanzania - United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility 

iii) Reducing Land Degradation on the Highlands of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania - United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility;

iv) the Development of Kafue National Park as a Model of Sustainable Economic Use and Biodiversity Conservation in a Management Intensive Environment - World Bank/Norwegian Government;

v) Rhino Conservation in the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, Zambia, Establishment of a Sekute Trust, and Establishment of Sekute Conservation Area as a migratory Corridor for Elephant Movement between Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia;

vi) Southern African Biodiversity Strategy Programme - by Global Environment Facility and United Nations Development Programme;

vii) Southern Africa Development (SADC) Community-based Natural Resources Management Project - the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and

viii) Lake Malawi Biodiversity Conservation Programme funded by Global Environment Facility and the World Bank-Malawi.