30 Aug 2021

Botswana Conservation Parliamentary Caucus has launched its 2021-2026 strategic plan with four main areas of focus.

Speaking at the launch in Maun Saturday, caucus co-chair, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said the plan focused on advocacy, education and awareness as well as integration of natural resources management.

Mr Mmolotsi, who is Francistown South MP, said it was crucial for natural resources to be managed in a systematic way and for countries sharing them to harmonise implementation of individual states legislation.

He said some Botswana environment and conservation policies had disparities and therefore  required harmonisation.

Mr Mmolotsi said the plan recognises the need for capacity building to empower communities in management of local natural resources in a sustainable way.

Also recognised was the need to link resource management with income generation activities, he said.

He said another area of importance was localising conservation and natural resource management conventions and other international agreements as well as involvement of leaders in decision making.

Among threats to conservation Mr Mmolotsi mentioned climate change, decline in forestry, dangers to mammals and wetlands.

In his comments, University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute director, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa said the strategy echoed the institute’s mandate which entailed biodiversity research and improvement of livelihood.

However, he argued that poverty should have been listed as one of the threats as it was a disadvantage to conservation.

“The scale of sharing natural resources is imbalanced as communities benefit little, no one can look after resources while hungry,” he said.

Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando was hopeful that the caucus would help bring a balanced approach to community beneficiation to localities from their natural resources.

Communities, he said, should be meaningful players in tourism and not only benefit from investors’ compassion.

Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust general manager, Mr Seikaneng Moipedi also said communities endowed with natural resources should benefit meaningfully from them.

Mr Moepedi said government should help Batswana and community trusts to have a share in tourism. 

The caucus is a multi-party platform with membership from all parties with representation in Parliament for the purpose of addressing issues of environment and conservation.

Membership currently stands at 35. ends