APOPO, a Dutch acronym Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling", in English, Anti-Personnel Landmines Detection Product Development is a global humanitarian organisation and social enterprise that clears landmines and other explosive remnants of war from areas affected by armed conflict. Founded about 20 years ago, APOPO has cleared and released over 23 million square metres of land for safe and productive use, in the process destroying 107,633 landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), positively impacting the lives of nearly 1 million people.
APOPO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Zimbabwe in 2016 and subsequently became registered as a Private Voluntary Organisation. In 2017 APOPO established its operational headquarters near its area of responsibility in the southeast of the country as well as a representational office in Harare. In 2018 and 2019 APOPO has been active in resource mobilisation to secure sufficient funding to begin operations and sustain a multi-year multi-million-dollar programme. APOPO hopes to begin operations in late 2019 just as soon as funding is confirmed.
APOPO’s area of responsibility falls within a narrow strip of land known as the Sengwe Wildlife Corridor along the border with Mozambique. The Sengwe Wildlife Corridor is a specially designated area aimed at allowing free movement of wildlife between South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park, and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park. These parks form part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP), which is proudly one of the world’s largest conservation areas. The landmines have remained in place for four decades and cause accidents with wildlife such as elephants, lions, and wild dog.
Zimbabwe’s Cordon Sanitaire or CORSAN minefield, where APOPO is tasked, is one of the densest and most active minefields in the world with up to 5,500 landmines laid per kilometre. Apart from accidents with wildlife, local communities who desperately need the land for livestock grazing and agriculture are also at risk. The tragic accidents that regularly occur with livestock and occasionally with people devastate the already fragile communities in the area known as Ward 15 of Chiredzi district, Masvingo province. Communities on both sides of the border minefield are unable to access basic necessities such as sufficient farming and cattle grazing land as well as paths and routes to reasonably maintain family ties, access basic services like health units and schools, and conduct livelihood activities, all of which contribute to a perpetual cycle of poverty. For more information visit APOPO click here www.apopo.org