17 Jan 2016

Maun residents have been urged to take advantage of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility funding grant geared towards promoting sustainable utilisation of the environment, land and natural resources.

To benefit from the small grant programme, residents would be expected to come up with projects that integrate land, water, soil, biodiversity, natural resource and environmental management to sustain ecosystem services and meet society’s livelihoods and economic needs.

Addressing a kgotla meeting to sensitise residents about the programme, Dr Nelson Tselaesele, from Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) said the projects should ensure optimal use of land and natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

He said registered societies such as trusts, community based organisations, women and youth organisations, farmers’ associations or any registered group could benefit from the small grant which funds projects up to the tune of P500 000.

Dr Tselaesele said the funding initiative target small groups to uplift their living standards. He explained that in Ngamiland, the funding would be channeled to projects that promote sustainable land management.

Dr Tselaesele revealed that issues of land degradation at Hainaveldt ranches had been a challenge. He pointed out that group could venture into a project that minimises land degradation in the district and rehabilitates degraded areas, citing excavation of soils.

He said residents could come up with ideas on how to rehabilitate the affected areas in make them useful. However, they were informed that the relevant organization was working on the strategy for 2015-2018 hence the proposals were not open yet. They were urged to come up with ways and ideas in which land could be used sustainably.

For their part, residents welcomed the programme and suggested that relevant authorities should educate the public first to ensure success of the programme.

They said some projects failed because the beneficiaries lacked information and knowledge and emphasised that mentoring and starting up of pilot projects would be ideal as the beneficiaries could understand what was expected from them.

However, residents came up with some possible projects which they believed could benefit them. Some of the suggested projects included among others, the pollution control of the Thamalakane River. Ends