Future Perfect

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Sustainable development at

the local level in Botswana

Sankuyo Tshwaraganang Management Trust

otswana has long embraced issues of environmental manage-

ment. This commitment has been further strengthened by

the adoption of the concept of sustainable development. In

addition, Botswana is party to various international agreements

and has significantly contributed to capacity development and

enhancement as well as financial assistance in terms of funding

projects and programmes.

In terms of implementation of policies, programmes and projects geared

towards sustainable development, Botswana has adopted an integrated

approach that involves the engagement of all relevant stakeholders.

This has considerably enhanced the achievement of project objectives

and the level of project ownership has improved among stakehold-

ers, especially communities. Of particular importance is the continued

involvement of community-based organizations (CBOs) in all processes

of national and local project development and implementation.

Because of their impact at grassroots level, CBOs have been identified

as integral to the process of national development. This has seen the

Government of Botswana investing in the establishment of these organi-

zations and they have been established in all districts of the country.

In order to ensure assistance to CBOs as they implement their

programmes, the Government of Botswana, through the Ministry

of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT), has established

Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) in all districts. The commit-

tees are chaired by the District Commissioner’s Office, while the

Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) serves as the

Secretariat. TACs comprise representatives of all Government depart-

ments in each district. It must be noted, however, that in addition to

assisting CBOs, TACs also perform other duties in terms of advising on

other district development issues.

In line with guiding the implementation of sustainable livelihood

programmes at the community level, the Government of Botswana

has established a Community-Based Natural Resource Management

(CBNRM) policy, which focuses on improving the livelihoods of

communities through the sustainable utilization of the natural resource

base in their environs.

In the domain of CBO engagement, the Government of Botswana

has provided the necessary institutional structures and policy instru-

ments, as well as financial assistance. These elements have been critical

in ensuring that communities are actively involved in projects that are

mostly implemented at the grass-roots level.

CBOs in the environment domain largely focus on the management of

national heritage sites, veldt products conservation, waste management,

birdlife conservation, tourism development and wildlife management.

In all of these, the underlying objective is to improve natural resources

management and the socioeconomic status of the community. The

Sankuyo Tshwaraganang Management Trust (STMT) is one of the

CBOs taking part in natural resources management and

community livelihood improvement.

Background of STMT

Seen as an opportunity to improve community livelihoods

through sound natural resources management practices,

STMT was established in 1995 after wider consultations

among stakeholders. It was formed after Government and

other stakeholders realized the importance of community

organizations in the socioeconomic and environmental

development process.

The village of Sankuyo is located in a Wildlife

Management Area (WMA) in the environs of Moremi

Game Reserve. Because this is an area in which wildlife

species are dominant, its use is monitored and control-

led through a management system. As such, Sankuyo is

a biodiversity-rich area, which needs sound and effective

management systems to maintain its integrity. It is also

an area in which hunting is controlled. In Botswana, all

land belongs to the State. However, after the formation

of the STMT, the Government of Botswana, through the

Tawana Land Board, leased it two controlled hunting

areas, Ngamiland 33 (NG33) and Ngamiland 34 (NG34).

These were to be used for purposes of photo safaris,

hunting and tourism.

In addition, the Government further allocated the STMT

a wildlife quota. This was then used to propel the income-

generating aspect of the STMT. These wildlife quotas were

used to extend hunting rights to some private companies

in the form of Joint Venture Partnerships (JVPs), an

arrangement in which the private company sub-leases the

hunting area from the Trust and pays them quota fees for

the game animals they hunt, and provides contributions

to the community development fund.

The STMT was also allocated NG33 for purposes of

photographic safaris. The community has leased this land

and NG34 (hunting) for purposes of tourism. Some of it

has been sub-leased to private companies through JVPs.

This arrangement has been beneficial as the community

continues to learn the necessary skills of business opera-

tions and ensuring sustainability of natural resources.

Socioeconomic status of Sankuyo before the

formation of the Trust

Before the formation of the STMT, the people of Sankuyo

lived in extreme poverty. They had limited and financially

risky sources of livelihood and depended on arable farming,

eople

social

inclusion

green

jobs

education