23 Nov 2020

Kavango Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area, (KAZA) has funded Lake Ngami Development Trust to the tune of P600 000 in an effort to reduce the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

KAZA is an initiative owned and led by governments of the five partner countries with the aim of conserving the shared natural resources.

The initiative also aims to ensure the sustainable use of national resources and to improve the lives of local communities through a range of programmes to reduce poverty.

In an interview, Lake Ngami Development Trust chairman, Mr Sekano Bodio confirmed that they were expecting financial assistance to the tune of P600 000 from KAZA.

The assistance, he said, followed their plea to KAZA and some officials came to the trust premises to appreciate their challenges. 

After the visit, he said, they received the good news that they were among some organisations which would be assisted. 

To ensure proper management and accountability of the funds, he said they had agreed that the money be deposited into Bird Life Botswana account.

Mr Bodio pointed out that the funding would be channeled towards the charcoal project, which was struggling to secure a lucrative market.  

The trust ventured into the project through the assistance from UNDP, which ensured that residents engaged in the project to reduce bush encroachment in Lake Ngami and surrounding areas.

Through the project, the trust intended to broaden its resource base. 

Mr Bodio also stated that part of the funding would help increase personnel as the charcoal project was labour intensive.

 Currently, the trust has six employees and they intend recruiting 15 more from the villages affiliated to the trust so that they increase production.

The charcoal project, he said was viable and profitable and the business plan would make it more competitive in the market. 

The trust chairman also observed that the trust had recruited a new manager, who had been tasked to push the project and ensure the products hit the shelves of local markets before end of the year. 

The trust has been operating without a manager since March 2019, following the resignation of the former manager. 

Mr Bodio highlighted that the board intended to join forces with the new manager and push some pending issues such as development of charcoal business plan and formalising agreements with companies, which showered interest in buying their charcoal product.

He cited that Khoemacu Copper Mine at Toteng village, had initiated a deal with Puma Filling Station to buy charcoal from the trust and sell to all their outlets. 

Puma, he said had a fuel contract with the mine and through their corporate social responsibility, the mine brought the trust in. In addition, Mr Bodio cited the Namibia Company which showed interest to buy six tonnes of charcoal every two weeks, saying the agreement was verbal and needed to be formalised in writing.

He said some companies from South Africa had shown interest in buying their products and stated that they wanted to make a binding agreement. Ends