Botswana and Namibia through the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) have collaborated to develop the Kwando-Linyanti-Chobe River Transboundary Tourism Code of Conduct which will be a guiding document on the use of the shared water course between the two countries.
This was revealed by the Chobe District Council Chairman, Chimney Mululwani when officially opening the council’s full meeting in Kasane on Monday. Mululwani said the code of conduct is important in reducing conflicts on the tourism activities in the river. Mululwani noted that one of the main intentions of the code of conduct is to ensure that there is no congestion in the river.
“KAZA TFCA continues to provide support towards community livelihood development in the entire KAZA area, to date nine contracts have been signed to facilitate implementation of Community livelihood projects,” he said.
According to him, these projects include, fisheries related livelihood options in Chobe, support community engagement in the tourism value chain- Horticulture and Poultry projects in Chobe East both coordinated by Birdlife Botswana as well as the Human-Wildlife conflict mitigation measures against crop raiding and livestock depredation by WildCru.
He revealed that the construction of a 17km game proof electric fence around the subsistence farms in the Pandamatenga Village- implemented by Department of Crop production which its tender preparations are on-going and is anticipated to complete by the end of December 2023 is amongst those projects. The Capacity building for Community Trusts and support towards community participation in transboundary forums also forms part of the projects.
On the other hand, Mululwani said that given the growing threat of wildlife and forest crime in KAZA TFCA, the KAZA Secretariat established a combatting wildlife and forestry crime office in Kasane in 2019 and since its inception the office has made a number of achievements.
“The office has secured funding for training of 50 wildlife rangers in specialised and basic ranger training for Department of Wildlife & National Parks and managed to repair and maintain law-enforcement vehicles for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Chobe District,” he said.
He noted that the support for vehicle maintenance is being done on a quarterly basis depending on requests submitted by the Department of Wildlife & National Parks in Chobe District. Mululwani has indicated that the office has also procured four Toyota Landcruiser pickups for DWNP, one boat for fisheries management on the Chobe/ Linyanti River to combat illegal fisheries, some camping and overnight patrol equipment and motor grader to open roads for easy access during patrols.
He added that the office has supported routine and transboundary joint patrols through procurement of fuel, food rations and other operational support and also managed to train 412 Customs and other law enforcement agencies at 32 ports of entry and exit within KAZA including the Kazungula One Stop Border and Kasane Airport in measures to combat natural resources trafficking. Furthermore, the office is said to has also secured funds towards establishment of a canine unit (Dog handling facility) at the DWNP anti-poaching camp in Kasane.
