27 Feb 2014

Ngamiland Conservation Committee board chairperson, Mr Ditlhapi Atsowe has called on government to create partnerships with some businesses so as to assist community trusts to be sustainable.

He said since the banning of hunting in the district, many community trusts had been affected in terms of resources output and profits because they depended mostly on the quotas of elephants to generate funds.

Mr Atsowe was commenting on presentation regarding the implementation of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM).  CBNRM is a development approach that supports natural resources conservation. He observed that many trusts were collapsing because members lacked knowledge and information about the available financial assistance which they could apply for the run effectively.

Meanwhile, other board members from other districts shared the same sentiments noting that government community-private partnership was ideal for the sustainability of community trusts.

They said some trusts were run by people who lack basic management skills and hoped government could give trusts support and offer basic training. Members said relevant department such as Forestry and Range Resources should also sensitize committee members about the available government funding assistance which they could be benefit from.

Mr Gospel Mokotedi appreciated that CBNRM was a good initiative aimed at promoting natural resources conservation and sustainable utilisation by the local communities. He said another objective was to involve rural communities in natural resources conservation, especially wildlife, hence reduce the wildlife-human conflicts.  Mr

Mr Mokotedi said the banning of hunting has contributed to an increase in poaching in the district. Earlier on, an official from department of Forestry and Range Resources, Mr Sindisa Major informed members that CBNRM entails transferring back to communities’ access use rights.

He said the programme was also introduced to empower the communities with legislation and developed management responsibility, building capacity and creating partnerships with the public and private sector.

Furthermore, he said the overall goal of the programme was to improve rural livelihoods as the household level attained through sustainable management of natural resources by communities. ENDS