14 Feb 2017

A number of initiatives have been put in place to facilitate communities neighbouring Protected Areas (PAs) including Boteti West through the park neighbouring programme.
Minister of Environment, Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama told Parliament on Monday that at least nine community trusts have been mobilised through Community Based Natural Resource Management programme to co-manage and derive livelihoods from natural resources in Boteti.
“The trusts are engaged in project activities that are mainly tourism related such as development and running of campsites, utilisation of veldt products and other resources like quality clays and water springs, crafts, cultural village, fishing, bird tourism and game ranching,” said Mr Khama.
Furthermore, he stated that recently two projects funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF); being Northern Botswana Human Wildlife Co-existence Project (NBHWCP); and the Birdlife Botswana Catalysing Sustainability of Protected Areas; Sustainable Financing of National Protected Area Systems have been implemented in the Boteti area and adjacent the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).
“The NBHWCP has enhanced mitigation of human-wildlife conflict through proactive preventative of interventions in these areas,” he said.
The House was further informed that the interventions include chilli pepper fence, beehive fence, early maturing seeds, herding dogs and predator proof fences. He said in the Boteti West, community members from predominately Khumaga and Moreomaoto areas benefitted from the project interventions.
Mr Khama said in order to monitor the impact of project interventions for human wildlife conflicts; Management Oriented Monitoring System (MOMS) had been adopted. To that end, he said two escort guides from Ngande Community Trust and Moreomaoto Development Trust as well as six community members from Khumaga and Moreomaoto have been trained on the concept of MOMS for local level adaptive management.
Furthermore, he said 20 young people from Boteti West were trained in tourism-related skills on lodge management, professional guide and junior hospitality. He said most of the youth have already been employed by various tourism enterprises throughout the country.
He noted that ‘Birdlife Botswana project’s objective was to improve the financial and operational sustainability of small, but biodiversity-rich protected areas through enhanced working partnerships between public, private, NGO and community stakeholders.’
“It is anticipated that the projects will develop bird tourism in the area and will open up opportunities for neighbouring communities of Mmatshumo, Mosu, Mokubilo and Mmea,” he said.
In addition, the minister pointed out that the project has capacitated communities through provision of equipment and governance skills to meaningfully participate in the tourism industry.
Specially Elected Member of Parliament, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo had asked the minister what interventions had been put in place to enable Boteti West communities to benefit from the two parks surrounding them being; CKGR and the Makgadikgadi National Park. ENDS