14 Aug 2014

Chairperson of the Qhaa Qhing community trust in Zutshwa, Ms Kegomoditswe Mokoto says community based game farming can play a significant role in improving the livelihoods of rural dwellers.

Commenting during a kgotla meeting addressed by Kgalagadi North Member of Parliament, Mr Phillip Khwae in Zutshwa recently, Ms Mokoto indicated that it was ideal for government to promote community based game farming particularly in areas like Zutshwa where wildlife species were in abundance.

She said game ranching was an important form of wildlife utilisation as it was very profitable if managed successfully.

The game farming industry, she said had the potential to create employment opportunities thus improving the quality of life for rural communities and also offered opportunity for economic development in the remote areas.

Of key importance, she said game farming should not be considered for economic benefits only as it also could facilitate the conservation of rare game species, natural habitats and eco-systems, as well as the unique heritage of rural communities.

“Gaming farming is a core source to repopulate some of the rare species that have been exterminated through habitat loss, poaching and hunting,” she said.

Ms Mokoto stated that the promotion of game farming in rural communities could also curve the escalating cases of poaching in such areas since the locals would feel some sense of ownership of wildlife species.

She decried the ban on hunting, saying it had crippled the financial income of some of the community trusts that were depended on hunting.

In his response, the area MP, Mr Khwae applauded the community trust for striving to establish other avenues aimed at empowering the local communities.

He affirmed that the promotion of game farming in rural communities indeed had the potential to empower the locals adding that the diversity of the game and wildlife industry was entrenched and offered many choices for the investor.

Mr Khwae stated that government was concerned by the extreme poverty rates in rural areas and was committed to establish all possible means to eradicate poverty in such areas hence the introduction of community game farms.

He said he would consult with the Rural Development Council to advocate for a community based game farm piloting project in Zutshwa since the Qhaa Qhing trust had an existing lease agreement for the KD 2 area.

Mr Khwae further encouraged the trust to act accountably towards the funds and assets management. He emphasised the importance of assets accountability indicating that it was essential towards the sustainability of the community trusts. He said that a number of community trusts in the country had collapsed primarily due to poor management. ENDS