23 Oct 2022

Researches indicate that tourism is one of the approaches in which biodiversity conservation can be attained, says Okavango Research Institute (ORI) director, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa.

He made the remarks recently when presenting on the academic contribution to human wildlife conflict and mitigation noting that tourism could be commercialised to benefit communities and promote conservation.

Successful wildlife based tourism, he said were emerging from across the world especially in Southern and Eastern Africa, South East Asia and communities were involved in community-based projects to benefit from wildlife.

Prof. Mbaiwa said tourism was one of the factors that could mitigate or reduce human wildlife conflict. He cited trophy hunting as a tourism activity noting that in Botswana, it was done selectively and revenue generated contributed significantly to livelihoods in specific affected communities.

Profits from managed trophy hunting, he said motivated communities to carry out conservation activities that offered employment opportunities and other important economic and social benefits.

Further, Prof. Mbaiwa noted that communities residing in wildlife areas should be involved in order to achieve wildlife conservation that would led to commercialisation of biodiversity.

Botswana, he said had done good as 37 per cent of land had been reserved for wildlife conservation and the government was encouraging tourism projects because they had the potential to grow.

He said the country was rich in flora and fauna and had become a destination for international tourists who were interested in wildlife experiences.

“If we have to conserve our resources, we need to engage the community as their participation will result in Community Based Natural Resources Management projects, creation of employment, improved income to households and improve livelihoods.

Once they benefit from the resources, that will motivate them to conserve them,” he added.

Prof. Mbaiwa also cited that some neighbouring countries such as Namibia had done the same to reserve land for tourism purposes and there were reports that their rhino population had increased.

He said if the community were not involved, poaching would increase hence the need to balance in conservation, social economic and welfare of the communities. Photographic tourism in prime areas, he said was not an answer to human wildlife conflict noting that concern over hunting ban by some Northern countries was driven by confusion that it drove decline of iconic species particularly rhinos and elephants.

Prof. Mbaiwa said biodiversity conservation was historically dominated by a series of North-South debate over its meaning and application, and called on relevant parties to continue with the dialogue and share analysis and understanding of the particular role that trophy hunting was playing in relation to conservation efforts at all levels.

He was concerned that there was a proposal from North Africa on transfer of the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe from Appendix II to Appendix I and urged affected parties to dialogue and promote conservation as well as the well-being of the community at the upcoming CITIES Conference of Parties in Panama next month. ENDS