Africa-Press – Botswana. Eligible entities across Botswana have been encouraged to use the National Environmental Fund to finance activities that provide sustainable development and use of natural resources.
The Principal Natural Resource Officer, Ms Gloriah Keipeile, from Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) made the call recently, when apprising Shorobe community in the North West District about the importance of the fund.
Ms Keipeile said the fund was established to promote and provide financial support for projects geared towards the protection and conservation of the environment.
She said the fund was open to legally registered community based organisations (CBOs), Village Development Committees (VDCs), active Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), research institutions and scientists and urged those with interest to submit their proposals.
She expressed hope that the next call would be issued before the end of this year and appealed to eligible entities to respond to such calls which she said were usually widely publicized to reach out to as many people as possible in media platforms.
Media platforms cited included the television, radio stations, newspapers, newsletters and social media.
The fund had benefited 63 projects across Botswana since the first call for submission of proposals in 2013. Eight projects were from the North West and Okavango districts.
She said some entities from Ngamiland region continued to make efforts to secure funding. “I am happy to announce that my department remains available to facilitate those interested in submitting their proposals,” she said. She said the fifth call was issued in November last year, inviting entities to submit proposals about veld product conservation and sustainable use of resources, protection of the urban environment; climate change mitigation and adaptation, waste management and pollution control.
She noted that Shorobe Basketry Cooperative Society together with other projects from Khwai, Okavango panhandle area and Mohembo were funded from the fifth call, adding that all together 16 projects were in the call.
Other funded activities related to the development and implementation of community based natural resource management such as waste management, ecotourism sector and development of national heritage, environmental awareness and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystem among others.
“Remember, we have only one environment and we need to do all we can to protect it,” said Ms Keipele.
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