Africa-Press – Botswana. Chobe Enclave Community Trust (CECT) has been lauded as an excellent model in conserving natural resources and building viable projects that sustain communities.
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng recently paid a visit to the trust premises in Kavimba where she commended committee for sustaining the trust for the benefit of the people.
“You could have fought for resources among your villages but the history and success story driving this organisation is commendable and a demonstration that government policies and programmes are not just a dream but a possibility,’’she said.
Ms Kereng said Batswana had proven capable of managing natural resources through the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) organisations.
However, she noted that some were still had challenges such as conflicts among members.
She stated that the Reset Agenda espoused the need to unpack value chains in agriculture, mining and tourism of which CECT were aligned to by investing the profits accrued from tourism activities and injecting them into Agriculture.
She noted that the story of CECT deserved to be told not just in Botswana, but the rest of the world to show how communities’ ability to conserve natural resources could attract investors and in return generate income for the community.
“We see that the communities around you are taken care of and I commend you for that because there is no pride and legacy in running a business in such a valuable landscape while community around is reeling in poverty.”
The minister highlighted that her ministry was committed to assisting and offering guidance to tourism and conservation management organisations to access National Environmental Fund and the Conservation Trust Fund.
CECT general manager, Mr Moses Sinchembe said the trust currently leased out land in Ngoma and Linyanti.
He said the rentals accrued had helped the trust acquire two general dealers in Mabele and Parakarungu.
He pointed out that they also had a milling company in Parakarungu, brick moulding projects in Kavimba and Satau, eight ploughing tractors which promoted food security.
Mr Sinchembe indicated that in the past, people built temporary house structures from reeds and tree logs which depleted the environment.
He however said with the establishment of brick moulding Chobe Enclave, communities purchased bricks at a subsidised price, easing the burden on the environment.
He commended government for lifting the hunting ban, noting that the trust had earned a substantive income through hunting quotas. He added that in 2022 hunting generated P4.5 million for CECT.
“When we combine our profits from photography tourism, the rentals from safari lodges and hunting, the money is almost P10 million which our people have full control of as they authorise all projects to be undertaken,” he said.
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