05 Feb 2019

When government introduced the hunting ban and encouraged photographic tourism, many community based organisations (CBOs), commonly known as community trusts, were skeptical on whether they would sustain themselves.

The trusts benefitted through the Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme, which aimed at improving natural resource conservation, rural livelihoods and reduce human wildlife conflict as well as poverty.

Hunting was the dominant activity amongst most trusts and when the hunting ban was introduced, government encouraged trusts to venture into photographic tourism and there was uncertainty on whether it was profitable compared to hunting.

Although some trusts were adversely affected by the ban, some managed to survive and found a niche in photographic tourism.

Sankoyo Tshwaragano Development Trust in the Ngamiland District was one of the trusts, which survived through photographic tourism.

Just like other community trusts, it was also adversely affected by the ban but resurrected after some time.

In an interview, Sakonyo Tshwaragano manager, Mr Tuelo Bapedi, admitted that at first, the hunting ban affected them because it came as a shock.

“We struggled for four years as it was not easy to adapt to photographic tourism and we were used to making huge profits through hunting. Our coffers and operations were affected and we had to suspend most of our planned projects and retrench some of our employees, especially those who were working in hunting concessions,” he added.

Mr Bapedi said in 2016, after signing a lease for high value tourism, they resuscitated and things went back to normal slowly until they became fully operational.

He said they realized that photographic tourism could be ideal if done right, adding that the concept provided more job opportunities when compared to hunting where only eight employees were hired.

After the lease, he said two lodges were opened and over 60 people were employed.

He admitted that the concept needed well trained and skilled manpower in order to produce desirable results, adding that a good market strategy was also another tool that could make photographic tourism more profitable. He said Khwai Community Trust, which had long shifted to photographic tourism before the hunting ban, was thriving.

“I believe photographic tourism is more profitable in more productive areas. Even if the government could re-introduce hunting, I still maintain that photographic is the way to go,” he added. The chairman of Okavango Community Trust of Seronga, Mr Molatlhegi Moyei, noted that photographic tourism was not profitable as opposed to hunting.

He said initially they were practicing both hunting and photographic and they were making better profits but that has changed now.

He explained that when the ban was introduced, they were forced to reduce staff and it was unfortunate as photographic tourism needed skilled personnel as compared to hunting where employees applied indigenous knowledge.

Mr Moyei said they were not making profits as expected because the community had no ownership over their concessions since the introduction of land banking.

He explained that to sustain the trust and diversify ways of generating income, they established a mortuary and a general dealer in Seronga.

In addition, he said they were in the process to open a hardware, stating that they are waiting for inspection.

The trust also intends to open a cultural village and also aims to convert one of its plot and build a lodge. ENDS