- The plan seeks to uplift livelihoods of the residents served by the trust
An NG13 Hunting Concession Management Plan which recommended seven projects that are anticipated to create around 70 jobs in the Kaputura, Tobera and Kyecia settlements has been approved by Tawana Landboard (TLB).
The plan was drafted to resolve challenges faced by communities from the three settlements after a Scoping Report conducted by SESU Holdings (Pty) Ltd revealed that settlements around the area were experiencing high unemployment, poverty and illiteracy levels.
Out of the population of 738 people, the report indicated that approximately 40% of the sampled adult population has never been to school making up a significant proportion of the illiterate population in Botswana. Only 3% of the sampled people in Kaputura have been to tertiary education while Tobera has 2% and Kyecia 0%.
The report also revealed that out of all the households interviewed throughout the settlements only three household heads were formally employed at the time of interview with two being in Kaputura and one in Tobere.
Tcheku Trust Communications Officer Tebogo James confirmed to this publication that the management plan was fully approved last week noting that it will now provide the trust with options on how to utilise the hunting quota as well as development of the areas and communities within the concession.
“We will be able to diversify the economic activities in the area in a sustainable manner and attract both local and foreign investors through leasing,” James said.
According to him, the plan is a new model and has divided the concession into three zones where zone one is for photographic, zone two for hunting and zone three is a green zone which is out of bounds from any activities.
“The green zone is a way of keeping wild animals in our concession, if animals feel threatened in an area they tend to migrate so if they feel threatened at the red zone area they will migrate into the green zone where they will be un-disturbed,” James explained.
With the plan approved, James indicated that they will be able to lease the concession to investors; a move which he said will contribute positively to the livelihoods of the local communities.
“Our beneficiary communities are faced with a wide range of challenges which through the management plan Tcheku Trust will be able to address,” he said.
James has noted that construction of a cattle ranch in the area which will create job opportunities for residents of the three villages and diversify the local economy is among projects recommended by the management plan.
Among the projects he noted vegetation clearance of roads in the area which he said will create more job opportunities for residents in both beneficiary villages.
