- they are implemented in partnership with Habu Elephant Development Trust, FAO
There has been a significant improvement in the livelihoods of Habu village residents since the implementation of coexistence initiatives by Wild Entrust in partnership with Habu Elephant Development Trust and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO
These coexistence initiatives include the Village Enterprise and Governance, Village Herd, Village Greens, Village Camp and Wildlife Area, Village Kids and Village Lights.
The Village Enterprise and Governance project addresses poverty by developing local economic opportunities, focusing on Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) to benefit sustainably from wildlife –based activities. It also encompasses of the Commodity- Based Trade (CBT) initiative which includes the development of stages of women and youth gardening cooperative.
Under this initiative there are some different projects which include a local butchery, women’s crafts enterprises, abattoirs, women’s crafts enterprises and a leather cooperative, all contributing to the local economic development of Habu Village.
Through the Village Herd initiative which is implemented under the Herding for Health Model, farmers in the area are supported in producing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)-free beef, managed in a ‘wild-life friendly’ manner, facilitating market access, and is endorsed by the government.
There is also the Habu garden initiative, (Village Greens) which addresses poverty and food security by providing fresh produce to the village and surrounding areas, while creating job opportunities for women and youth.
Under the Village Camp and Wildlife Area initiative, Habu community designated a ‘cattle-free’ zone in their communal rangelands to foster wildlife recovery for community-based tourism.
Through the initiative community scouts conduct daily wildlife monitoring patrols and collaborate with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and the Botswana Defence Force to enhance local law enforcement capacity and safeguard wildlife. The initiative seeks to harmonise conservation efforts with community interests through fostering community-based tourism initiatives.
Wild Entrust has also implemented the Village Kids initiative at Habu Primary School which they engage with leaners to inspire and educate them on environmental and social issues. The initiative offers a range of reading programme, movie screenings, and delivery of Wild Entrust’s successful environmental education programme, Coaching Conservation.
The NGO has also initiated the Village Lights project in order to address the lack of electricity in Habu by providing extra solar lights for senior primary school students, which enable them to study at home after sunset for an extra hour.
In an interview during the Wild Entrust projects tour that was held in Habu last week, the Program Director, Montshiwa Montshiwa said that since the implementation of the Village Camp and Wildlife Area initiative there has been an increased in wildlife presence in the area. Montshiwa noted that species that were once rare such as giraffes are now more commonly sighted in the area, stating that these animals are even becoming more comfortable around humans.
‘‘The community’s perception of wildlife has evolved from viewing animals primarily as a source of meat to recognizing their broader ecological and economic value,’’ he said.
According to him, poaching has significantly declined, as demonstrated by the increasing diversity and population of wildlife in the area. He further said that monitoring records indicate that it has been nearly four years since an elephant carcass was last spotted in the area, a stark contrast to previous years when such sightings were common.
Montshiwa said that though the Village Enterprise and Governance Village Enterprise project there is livelihood diversification. He indicated that community members skilled in crafts and basketry are now able to sustainably harvest raw materials and have found markets for their products through partnerships with tour operators.
He further expressed that a partnership with Habu Primary School has enabled children to learn about animal behavior from an early age since they implemented the Village Kids initiative. Montshiwa stated that this includes educational excursions, organised in collaboration with tour operators, where students observe wildlife firsthand.
