15 Jun 2024

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with a consortium of development partners are seeking governmental endorsement on the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) programme of Legal Institution Framework to enable communities living with wildlife to improve their lives. Speaking during validation workshop of the Legal Hub for the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme Community Conservancy (CC) Project in Botswana held in Gaborone recently, acting permanent secretary in the Department of Wildlife National Parks, Mr Boatametse Modukanele said the legal hub sought to address challenges of human-wildlife conflict and illegal wildlife trade.

He said government in collaboration with FAO was committed to working with development partners in implementation of the legal hub. Mr Modukanele said SWM programme was an ambitious global partnership initiative aimed at addressing critical issues at the intercession of wildlife conservation, food security and sustainable livelihoods. “It will ensure sustainability of our natural resources,” he said, further stating that it would maintain ecological connectivity, by protecting wildlife corridors and promoting socio-economic sustainability.

The acting permanent secretary said SWM programme would have communities working with government to strengthen their governance and leadership.

He further said the aim was to build local enterprise projects, improve livestock production and strengthen sustainable wildlife management. For her part, the FAO representative in Botswana, Ms Carla Mucavi said Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme was a flagship initiative that aligned FAO mandate to eradicate hunger, ensure food security and promote sustainable agriculture. Ms Mucavi said in Botswana, where wildlife was both a treasured natural heritage and a critical component of rural livelihoods, collective efforts were important to ensure sustainable management and conservation of wildlife. “This is fundamental to the health of our ecosystems and our communities' livelihoods,” she said.

Ms Mucavi therefore called upon government and other stakeholders to partner with FAO to replicate more of those initiatives across the country, saying the initiative aligned with FAO’s objectives, such as enhancing food security and livelihoods, promoting practices that balance conservation with the sustainable use of wildlife and ensuring that local communities benefited directly from those resources.

She reiterated that FAO mandate remained to achieve food security for all and ensure that people had regular access to enough high quality food to lead active, healthy lives, leaving no one behind. Meanwhile, Ms Mucavi said wildlife was not only a national treasure in Botswana, but a vital component of socio- economic foundation, saying the majestic landscapes and rich biodiversity contributed significantly to the economy through tourism and provide essential ecosystem services that sustain agriculture and human life. In Botswana the project is being implemented in the communal livestock grazing areas of Western Ngamiland around the Habu, Tubu and Nokaneng communities. Ends