African Parks grows Incubation Programme to boost park management and resilience
African Parks is scaling its Incubation Programme to strengthen operational excellence and financial resilience across partner‑managed protected areas in Africa. The initiative provides conservation organisations with access to African Parks’ standard operating procedures, toolkits and mentorship, alongside progress tracking and donor‑funding pathways. It currently supports five organisations across seven protected areas in six countries, safeguarding more than 20,000 km² – positioning partners to improve governance, community outcomes and long‑term revenue generation vital to nature‑based tourism.
Partnerships are signed for 10 years with tailored support, mid‑term assessments and external expertise as needed. Start‑up grants have been introduced since 2024, with larger capacity and management grants due from late 2026 or early 2027; the first graduation target is Parcs de Noé at Conkouati‑Douli National Park by 2027. The programme is also testing innovative finance, including Verifiable Nature Units in Upemba National Park, DRC, and aims to work with 15 protected areas by 2035 – developments that reinforce destination resilience and investor confidence across Africa’s tourism landscape.
Source: African Parks
