The wildlife-based tourism sector has been devastated by the effects of COVID-19. As tourism collapsed, related jobs and income were lost, conservation project funds were withdrawn, and as a result, poaching increased in many places around the world. These three consequences of COVID-19 were followed by a further knock-on effect: widespread food insecurity.

Recognising the way the pandemic altered the world, The Lion’s Share, and the Small Grant’s Programme, which is financed by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by UNDP, made a call for proposals in April 2020 to support communities dependent on wildlife-based tourism. The nine successful recipients for the ‘COVID-19 Response: Resilience in Wildlife Community Grants’ were selected from over 1,600 proposals from local organizations across 106 countries. These projects have been working to build resilience in communities in wildlife-rich areas and support continued protection of threatened wildlife in their last strongholds. Enhancing food security is at the core of these efforts.

Reversing degradation of land, soil, and forests is at the heart of ensuring people have enough to eat. It is also at the core of protecting wildlife. Read the full story here to find out how these projects are working to tackle both.