Africa-Press – Botswana. North West District councillors have endorsed the proposal to declare four settlements into community conservancy villages.
The settlements include Ditshiping, Daunara, Xaxaba and Quqao and councillors were of the view that the conservancy model would specifically address issues faced by the communities and improve social cohesion.
Commenting on a report from the District Development Committee (DDC), which recommended the declaration of the four settlements into conservancy villages, councillors were happy to learn that the model would benefit the indigenous people who would be able to understand better why it was important to conserve native flora and fauna.
While they welcomed the model, councillors stressed that the report should include their submissions before it is sent to the relevant ministry.
“This conservancy model is a step in the right direction and it will indeed benefit the affected communities in all aspects of life,” said Cllr Lekonne Masoko of Shashe Ward.
The model, he said would aid in sustainable natural resource management, wildlife conservation, poverty alleviation, economic development and local governance.
Cllr Kebareeditse Ntsogotlho of Khwai/Mababe also welcomed the proposal and said the conservancy village model was becoming more common in developing nations.
He appealed to DDC to consult the affected communities so that they could understand how the model worked and what it required to ensure successful implementation.
When presenting the proposal on community conservancy settlement, principal physical planner, Mr Lesang Setimela explained that conservancy settlements were anchored around the indigenous people found in that specific area.
He said their areas had defined boundaries with defined governance management structures where communities had the right to manage and benefit from wildlife.
“Conservancies are legally recognised, geographically defined areas established by communities that have united to manage and benefit from wildlife and natural resources. The main income streams for community conservancies are photographic and hunting tourism, and each conservancy has a land use management plan,” he added.
Mr Setimela further noted that the final draft of the 2023-2043 Maun Development Plan had identified an area earmarked for Maun Conservancy area, and by virtue of it falling within such area implied that it was befitting to establish the settlement as a conservancy settlement.
He added that the North West District full council had since recommended that a conservancy area be declared, followed forthwith by in-depth land use and management plan before implementation.
The concept, he said was in line with the aims of the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme of achieving biodiversity.
He also allayed some councillors’ fears that the model might change ownership of the area and restrict residents’ rights.
The conservancy committee, he said, would develop terms of reference and the in-depth land use management plan to guide on how the model would work. However, he requested for funding for benchmarking in countries where the model was working successfully.
Deputy principal from Botswana Wildlife Training Institute (BWTI), Ms Omphile Samapodisa concurred that the model had been embraced by some neighbouring countries and it compensated people in co-existence with wildlife.
She added that the model was in line with the CBNRM programme, which focused on providing incentives for communities to take responsibility for managing natural resources sustainably.
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