Africa-Press – Botswana. Empowering and capacitating community trusts to deliver on their mandate is central to efforts of rallying communities to embrace calls for sustainable environmental practices.
First Lady Ms Neo Masisi said this on Friday in Tsabong at a dinner held in her honour as a patron of the TSAMAMA Community Trust on the eve of the annual Walk on Sand Dunes for Camels.
Ms Masisi said community trusts contended with several challenges, most of which centred around lack of finances and at times having to grapple with impediments to efforts geared towards pursuing some opportunities for income-generation.
“My decision to become a patron of the trust when TSAMAMA’s Walk on Sand Dunes For Camels sponsored walk debuted last year was informed by this need for community trusts to be supported. The decision was my way of warming the nation up to the notion of Adopt-A-Community-Trust,” she said.
She said the constant struggles of community trusts were spelt out in their long history, which she noted was dotted with many challenges, some of which at times threatened their existence.
Ms Masisi said it was heartening therefore that this year the TSAMAMA walk had attracted over 500 walkers compared to about 300 that turned up for its maiden version last year.
She said the growth was attributable to the keen interest that communities of Tsabong District and the general public had begun to develop on the work of the trust through its Tsabong Ecotourism Camel Park.
“It also shows that communities are beginning to have a deeper understanding of the value of their environment and the natural resources found within it. It also shows that communities are becoming more cohesive as you may be aware that TSAMAMA Trust comprises Tsabong, Maubelo and Maleshe communities,” she said. Ms Masisi thus appealed to the rest of Botswana’s communities to tap into the unifying power of tourism by jointly embarking on tourism-based projects.
The First Lady, who donated P50 000 to TSAMAMA Trust, thanked other stakeholders who continued to render support to the trust, assisting it to work towards achieving its objectives.
On the future of tourism in the Kalahari region, an official of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Mr Justice Ofentse said presently the region offered an unparalleled tourism experience where visitors could immense themselves in the tranquillity of the desert, witness the majestic wildlife and engage with the vibrant cultures of local communities.
“We have seen a significant increase in ecotourism driven by visitors’ growing desire for sustainable and authentic travel experiences. Ecotourism initiatives like the ecotourism camel park have set a precedent combining adventure, education and conservation,” he said.
Mr Ofentse said the initiatives not only provided unforgettable experiences for tourists, but also contributed to the local economy and the preservation of the communities’ natural and cultural heritage.
He said the ministry had registered some achievements in the region such as community involvement in tourism, the evolution of conservation efforts, and the entrenchment of sustainable tourism practices within the communities.
Explaining immense the potential of tourism development in the Kgalagadi region, Mr Ofentse stated that the potential came with the responsibility to develop the area’s tourism sector sustainably and inclusively, hence the need to only introduce new and innovative ecotourism projects that offered unique experiences while promoting environmental stewardship.
He said the initiatives included ‘expanding our camel safaris, introducing stargazing tours and developing cultural heritage trails that highlight the history and tradition of the San people’ adding that this would have to be supported by improved infrastructure such as roads, communication networks and accommodation facilities with the view to enhance the visitor’s experience.
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