Fragmented Governance, Shared Landscapes: Policy and Functional (In)Coherence Insights from the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area

TL;DR

This study examines policy and functional coherence in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, revealing gaps in governance and coordination between national parks.

Contribution

The paper introduces a theme-based method for assessing policy alignment and highlights the need to address functional coherence in transfrontier conservation.

Findings

Policy alignment scores moderately high (3.6 out of 5), especially in areas aligned with global norms.

Weak coherence is observed in governance, institutional efficiency, and transboundary cooperation.

Functional coherence is hindered by power disparities, legal complexities, and fragmented coordination.

Abstract

Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) have been operating under unsolved theoretical puzzles related to policy coherence and practical coordination. In particular, the mismatch between national policies and ground operations warrants a thorough policy and functional coherence assessment, which remains underexplored in TFCAs. Through a qualitative comparative analysis of strategic park policy documents and twenty key informant interviews, this study examines the extent of policy and functional coherence between Kruger and Gonarezhou National Parks within the Greater Limpopo TFCA (GLTFCA). The study applied a theme-based coding method to assess alignment across functional policy domains. Our findings reveal a moderate policy alignment (3.6 out of 5) with strong coherence in themes aligned to international frameworks and global norms. In contrast, themes related to governance, institutional efficiency, and transboundary cooperation showed the weakest coherence, highlighting implementation gaps and fragmented accountability. These weaknesses correspond closely to key coordination dimensions, particularly those related to institutional alignment and knowledge-sharing mechanisms. These findings underscore that while policy intent aligns, functional coherence is constrained by disparities in power, institutional capacity, the complexities of legal pluralism, and fragmented coordination mechanisms. The findings underscore that aligning policy intent is insufficient without addressing functional coherence and call for greater attention to political, institutional, and legal asymmetries in TFCAs. This research also contributes to ongoing efforts for policy harmonization within the GLTFCA by offering a practical, theme-based method for diagnosing alignment gaps and overlaps across strategic conservation policies. It provides empirical insights into the current disconnect between policy provisions and operational realities, highlighting critical areas in need of immediate attention and resource allocation.

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