30 Mar 2021

Save Wildlife Conservation Fund, a non-profit making organisation, which campaigns specifically for the sustainable conservation of nature and the protection of its species, has come up with a new initiative to reduce the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural communities.

The organisation has introduced funding opportunities for climate smart agricultural activities to the tune of P50 000.

It is currently calling for well-established groups to apply for the funds to venture into climate smart agriculture projects.

The executive director, Ms Wabotlhe Letubo explained in a recent interview that the initiative would cushion those who had been hard hit by the pandemic, especially the rural community, where opportunities for creating income was limited.

Through the initiative, she said they expected the communities to increase food security in rural areas, adding that the initiative was not only restricted to Ngamiland, but was open to the entire country.

Groups eligible to apply include community trusts, non-profit groups/associations, and community based organisations among others. 

She said they aimed to assist groups, which had been in operation for at least a year and had a history of accomplishment, good financial management and reporting skills.

Ms Letubo revealed that they did not fund individuals, adding that for an applicant to be considered, they had to submit all relevant documents and be able to attend a presentation meeting to support their proposal. 

She said the organisation had also offered to assist with training where necessary, for the success of the projects.

Climate smart agriculture involves farming practices that improve farm productivity and profitability, helps farmers adapt to the negative effects of climate change and mitigate climate change effects.

The objective of climate smart agriculture, she said, was to assist rural communities to increase agricultural productivity and build resilience to climate change risks in smallholder farming and pastoral communities by scaling up climate change smart agriculture practices, strengthening both rural and urban markets in Botswana.

Save Wildlife has been active in Botswana since 2010, supporting communities living adjacent to wildlife contact areas through early childhood development and environmental education to support the existing government curriculum.

The organisation, whose motto is; Develop Present, Preserve Future, also supports Community Based Natural Resource Management projects to ensure the communities get direct benefits from the wildlife co-existence.

It has supported many community projects such as renovation of Mababe community campsites at Dijara, Xanakgaei and Dizana and were re-licensed for operation. 

The organisation also rescued 120 hippos, which got stuck in a dried pool at Nxaraga village in 2019.  

With the help of the community, the organisation fed the hippos for months and equipped the borehole that pumps water into the hippo pool until the Thamalakane River started flowing again.

Save Wildlife also supports early childhood education by establishing playgrounds, mostly in places adjacent to wildlife such as Boteti, Chobe and North West districts, to help children in social and physical movement development. 

In the North West, the organisation established playgrounds at Matsaudi, Shakawe, Kaputura, Tobera, Mohembo, Xakao, Nxamasere, Xhaoga, Samochima, Sepopa and Phuduhudu. 

The organisation’s mission is to build future generations of environmental leaders by supporting education, research capacity building, community outreach and conservation programmes that inspire people to coexist with wildlife and thereby safeguard their own natural heritages. Ends