The Botswana Protected Areas Resource Mobilization Strategy and Partnerships Plan, being developed by consultants Hugo Van Zyl and Kai Collins is expected to enhance Botswana’s protected areas revenue generation by enhancing private sector and NGO participation.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) with the support from UNDP’s BIOFIN Initiative has engaged the said consultants to develop the strategy expected to be completed in September this year.
This was revealed the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Abigail Khumoyame during the stakeholder engagement meeting on the plan held in Maun recently.
The meeting was a platform for different stakeholders including tourism operators and NGO’s to share their views and comments on the strategy.
According to Khumoyame, the strategy will provide guidance on the role to play and deepen their understanding of the financial needs and challenges facing protected area management in Botswana.
She said DWNP faces infrastructure challenges like poor roads, dilapidated offices, all rendering service delivery and negatively affecting services delivery in the tourism sector.
“Our protected areas are not just our ecological treasures but they are the bedrock that also contributes to our tourism sector and rural livelihoods, yet we are facing various challenges particularly finances, that is why some of these challenges that we know of are still perpetuating even up to today,” she said.
She indicated that the strategy will form a clear and mobilised framework for different stakeholders in terms of which role they should play and what role the government needs to play.
Sharing his views on the strategy, Desert and Delta Safaris Managing Director Matthew Johnson said the most important way to improve funding in protected areas is to charge all who use them. He noted that there was a need for the frameworks to operate without political interference so that they can achieve their objectives appropriately. Johnson noted that the use of ‘Friends of the Park’ programme was also essential in terms of ensuring that the parks generate more revenue.
Botswana Guides Association Chairman (BOGA) Kenson Kgaga highlighted on the need for government to act swiftly to address poor infrastructure in protected areas
Kgaga lamented that for many years they have been pleading with the government to address infrastructure challenges, among them poor roads conditions and bridges.
Meanwhile, according to Hugo Van Zyl and Kai Collins consultants Finance Needs Assessment (FNA) report, the total estimated budget shortfall for all Botswana’s protected areas stands at P118, 978, 453. These protected areas include Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Pans Park (Nxai and Makgadikgadi), CKGR, KTP and Khutse Game Reserve.
The report also state that annually the DWNP is allocated P500 000 for maintenance against the required P52 million. It shows that the main challenges across these areas include human wildlife conflict, poaching, borehole issues, fence maintenance, broken boreholes, staff shortages, bridge repairs, staff shortages, broken boreholes, and infrastructure, fence maintenance, vehicle shortages, lack of management plans, over tourism as well as severe staff and vehicles shortages.
The Finance Needs Assessment (FNA) report indicate that currently protected areas need an average of 19 dedicated vehicles per park but currently there is one per park. It states that staff numbers allocated in each park need more than double along with associated budget for staff salaries while maintenance and management budgets also need to at least double for each protected area.
“Botswana’s protected areas generate significant revenue, yet DWNP receives government allocations far below this amount and cannot retain revenue. Budgets are regionally pooled, limiting visibility into PA-specific financing needs,’’ reads the report. The report indicates that campsite privatisation has significantly reduced protected areas revenue streams, while special Funds like NEF and Tourism Fund are not accessible for direct PA support despite large unused budgets.
