21 May 2017

Government has been urged to strike a balance between tourism and agriculture so that they equally benefit the communities.

Residents of Shorobe said during a stakeholder meeting held under the theme Human wildlife co-existence, is it an option for harmony.

The forum was organised by the department of environmental affairs in collaboration with UNDP and the main objective was to find solutions which could promote peaceful co-existence between human and wildlife.

They appreciated that both contributed significantly to the economy but stated that it seemed tourism was mostly valued as far as conservation was concerned.

On the other hand, they said the government was supportive to agriculture as it had introduced many initiatives which encouraged communities to venture into farming so that they fed themselves and the nation but it was unfortunate that they could not  benefit from their fields due to elephants which destroyed crops.  

Residents argued that traditionally, Ngamiland community depended largely on agriculture particularly rearing of cattle and contributed directly to the local economy. In addition they appreciated the importance of wildlife but stated that they benefited indirectly from tourism.

They requested the government to reduce the population of some wild animals such as elephants which they said the population was high hence there was a lot of movements which eventually posed a danger to the lives and property of the communities.

One of the residents, Mr Tshimologo Zoku said the communities loved wildlife but it was unfortunate as they terrorised them as they relocated from their areas to residential plots. He wished elephant population could be reduced so that they could benefit from the government agricultural initiatives in place.

Mr Odirile Chaba said some villages had been zoned but that did not stop movement of wild animals adding that elephants had a sharp memory like human being. He appreciated interventions which promoted coexistance but stated that they were not effective as elephants still moved all over.

Deputy chief, Kgosi Gaetshwane Mmutle suggested that the government should look for elephants’ market outside the country in order to reduce the population.

“We are overwhelmed by elephants as they have encroached our residential plots. We are not the ones who relocated to the wildlife management areas as such we should not be punished,” he added.

Kgosi Mmutle said Batswana had shown interest in farming to sustain themselves because they government was supportive adding that for a long time they protected the Okavango Delta because they knew that it attracted tourists.

One of the panellists from Eco exist Project from the Okavango, Mr Mathata Kashongo shared with residents that it was possible to share space with animals without harm. Eco exist project aimed at reducing human/elephant conflict and fostering co-existence.

He explained that in Okavango, the population of people and elephants were equal as per the 2011 population census which indicated that people from Mohembo to Gudigwa were 15 000 and they both competed directly for access to water, food and land.

He said that clearly indicated that both elephants and communities could live in the same environment. Mr Kashongo also noted that the project had come up with different interventions which encouraged peaceful sharing of space. ENDS