15 Feb 2016

The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MWET) held the first Botswana biodiversity symposium at the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUANR) in Gaborone recently. 

The symposium, which discussed issues pertaining to taxonomy, was themed Knowing What You Have - A Key to Sustainable Biological Heritage.

Speaking at the symposium, MEWT acting deputy permanent secretary Mr Jimmy Opelo said biodiversity provides the fundamental building blocks for the many goods and services that a healthy environment provides.

He said the Department of National Museum and Monuments was assigned to assume the role of a national focal point for the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI). 

He said this was meant to coordinate implementation of the programme as required by the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

He said that the world’s biodiversity is facing several threats influenced by the activities of mankind including loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitats.

Mr Opelo said to minimise the effects, the government of Botswana has formulated policies and acts such as the Monuments and Relics Act, the Environment Management Act and the Forestry Act.

 He said the effective conversation and management of biodiversity depends on understanding taxonomy. 

He explained that unfortunately inadequate taxonomic information, coupled with declining taxonomic expertise, hinder the ability of people to make informed decisions on the biodiversity.

For her part, plant systematist Dr Pearl Lebatha said there is need to benchmark on what other countries are doing in the area of biodiversity. 

She encouraged biodiversity stewardship among citizens of Botswana. She said this should be encouraged through changes in attitudes. She said that every Motswana has to take responsibility to promote biodiversity, an attitude that she says has proved to be working in other countries. Ends