- – Set to empower locals and promote human-wildlife coexistence
The Fauna Conservation Trust of Ngamiland is developing a policy framework envisioned to balance conservation with community growth through developing livelihoods and promoting human-wildlife coexistence across the district.
The Trust has recently concluded a series of intensive consultative meetings across 16 main villages in the Ngamiland region which sought community input in establishing the framework named the ‘Ngamiland Livelihood Development and Conservation Charter.’
In an interview, the director of the organisation, Tiego Mpho, emphasised that the charter is a vision anchored on chieftainship and the tribe about how they want to move forward in developing livelihoods and promoting human-wildlife coexistence, which is what their local economy is dependent on.
Mpho regrets that the top-down, government-led livelihood development and conservation approach, which he says has been adopted for the past 50 years, has proven not to be effective. This, he highlighted, is evidenced by persisting chronic poverty, worsening illegal bushmeat trade, and retaliatory killings of wild animals that continue to decline across all species.
“So, this means that we cannot sustain the eco-tourism product which is the heart of Ngamiland’s wildlife economy,” he stressed.
Mpho indicated that the Trust is not only focused on tourism but is also looking into other sectors to help support local survival needs and protect regional biodiversity as well as natural heritage.
Following these consultations, Mpho revealed that they will convene a meeting with the leadership of all the villages of the district to finalise the drafted Ngamiland Livelihood Development and Conservation Charter for endorsement.
“If they endorse it, the document will then become a guiding instrument for village development committees as well as CBOs,” he stated.
From their engagements, Mpho shared that the majority of communities covered have welcomed the Fauna Conservation Trust of Ngamiland and recognised the value addition it brings to them.
“They appreciate that it’s not a Maun-centred community organisation but a district-wide one because of history and the work that we seek to do. We want to be conveners of the tribe, custodians of tribal monuments and assets as well as an investment vehicle of this tribe, not only focused on tourism but looking into other areas of income sources.”
Meanwhile, Mpho has revealed that they have not convened the Annual General Meeting (AGM) as yet on account of a lack of resources and funding. He however assured that they are working on fundraising to be able to start preparing for the meeting, noting that the board is scheduled to meet at the end of this month. Further, the director revealed that their other focus is urging other community trusts to affiliate with them for a broader common purpose of improving the livelihood of Ngamiland people.
