Events and Press Releases from IUCN Botswana
Events and Press Releases from IUCN Botswana |
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| Check this page periodically for updates from IUCN Botswana... |
Click here to go to the latest 'Environment Botswana News'. Environment Botswana News is a monthly electronic newsletter provided by IUCN Botswana with the aim to facilitate the sharing of information of the environment in Botswana.
The Botswana government and the World Conservation Union (locally
known as IUCN) have signed an agreement to work together on improving
management of water resources. This agreement will be carried
out under the umbrella of IUCN Water and Nature Initiative. The
government and IUCN will work closely together on the management
of the Okavango Delta.
This partnership was presented in the context of the World Summit
for Sustainable Development, and signifies a concrete commitment
to find solutions to the looming water crisis. In the Okavango
Basin, the initiative is developing a management plan in consultation
with all stakeholders to set the path for the development of the
region. It is hoped that this path maintains the ecosystem so
that users may continue to reap its immense benefits.
The project is a partnership between local authorities, NGOs,
the Botswana Government, private sector (tourism enterprises)
and the Delta communities. The planning exercise will directly
contribute to Okavango Commission's endeavour to develop a basin
wide management regime.
The Minister of Lands, Housing and the Environment, Jacob Nkate,
who signed the agreement on behalf of the Botswana government
during the ceremony said," The Okavango Delta is more than
beautiful: it provides a major source of income for the country,
the delta communities and indeed the individual residents. It
is hard to imagine Botswana without the Okavango Delta. Indeed
for many, Botswana is the Okavango Delta. We have a responsibility
as the government and the people of Botswana, together with our
development partners, to make sure that this amazing resource
is utilised in a sustainable and responsible manner".
The signing of the agreement is an expression of the parties'
recognition of the importance of healthy ecosystem as the basis
for livelihoods and of improved ecosystem and water management
for reducing poverty and creating prosperity. These were the two
main issues under debate in Johannesburg.
Apart from the Botswana government and IUCN WANI, there are other
donors who will be involved in the funding of the project and
these are SIDA, DED,DANIDA. The Initiative consists of 28 projects
in over 40 countries, with 7 demonstration basins where the ecosystem
approach will be put into practice and 21 supporting projects
on governance, participation and finance. It is hoped that it
will bring together organisations from the global to the local
level to maintain healthy ecosystems.
(IUCN Press release, September 2002)
Amman Congress, IUCN's second World Conservation Congress (held 4-11 October 2000), was the first major conservation event of the new millennium and defined key conservation goals for the new century. The theme of the Congress was "ecospace" - a term that indicates that the protection of the environment is a pre-requisite for the social, economic and even political security of people.
Botswana's Minister of Lands and Housing, Hon. Jacob Nkate, presented a compelling account on the activities of the Government of Botswana to manage the Okavango Delta wisely.
He addressed a technical session on water and wetland management at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Amman, Jordan on Thursday October 5, 2000. More than 2000 participants from some 140 countries representing governments, NGOs, private sector and academic institutions gathered for eight days to discuss major global environmental issues, trends and challenges.
Minister Nkate's presentation focused on the status of the Okavango Delta within the context of local, national and regional threats to the ecosystem of this largest wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention. The audience was furthermore informed about the efforts of the National Conservation Strategy Agency in developing a National Wetlands Policy and Strategy and in coordinating the preparation of a Management Plan for the Okavango Delta. He told the Congress that Government will embark on an integrated management planning exercise in early 2001.
As a direct result of the presentation, IUCN has included the Okavango Management Plan in its Water and Nature Initiative, an ambitious 30 million US$ freshwater programme consisting of 25 selected projects. The launch of the Initiative in Amman last week follows the growing international concerns about global freshwater resources. These views were expressed at the World Water Forum in The Hague, The Netherlands, in March this year where participants and ministers from 132 countries, including Hon Mokgothu Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs, called for immediate action to avert the world water crisis.
IUCN's Water and Nature Initiative is a direct response to this call. Says Dr Maritta Koch-Weser, Director General of IUCN, "This Initiative fills the missing link in the water discussions which usually focus on the distribution of water, and not where that water comes from. Healthy ecosystems renew our water resources and provide clean water to support all life on earth, human as well as species".
"Recognising that the sustainable management of catchments and their water resources form the basis of economic, social and environmental security", says Ger Bergkamp, IUCN's Freshwater Management Advisor, "the Water and Nature Initiative will demonstrate how catchments and river basins can be managed in a sustainable way through an integrated water resources management approach".
The Okavango Delta was also the focus of a presentation by Innocent Magole and Karen Ross of Conservation International's Okavango Program based in Maun. They drew the audience's attention to the ecological wonders in the delta, the utilisation of the delta's resources by the local population and the current efforts to include communities in planning for the delta's future.
These and other presentations on water and wetlands encouraged different parties to pledge funding for IUCN's Water and Nature Initiative. The Netherlands Government and IUCN have taken this one step further. Mr Bert Diphoorn, Netherlands Ministry of Development Cooperation and organiser of the World Water Forum in The Hague: "The time to act is now. This Initiative builds on what was discussed at the Forum and turns it into projects on the ground. We believe the Initiative will make a difference".
Says Minister Nkate: "The inclusion of the Okavango management planning exercise in the Water and Nature Initiative is of great encouragement to us. As IUCN state member, the Government of Botswana will benefit from the expertise and the resources made available through the Initiative. This will help us look after the Delta and the river basin in a sustainable manner and we look forward to our continued cooperation with IUCN Botswana".
The Botswana participants included Mr Edward Maloiso, Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Conservation Strategy Agency, Mr Ruud Jansen, IUCN Country Representative, and representatives of Forestry Association of Botswana, Kalahari Conservation Society, Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust, Chobe Wildlife Trust, and Conservation International. They also participated in the discussions on numerous resolutions, the global programme of IUCN and in the election of representatives for IUCN's Council and various international commissions. (IUCN, 11 October 2000)
For the last seven months, teams of actors, local NGOs, government agencies and the private sector from the southern African region have been working with communities. They have been collecting information, workshoping plays and producing theatre on natural resource management and conservation issues. These activities have all been taking place as part of Africa Resources' (ART) regional Community Outreach Programme. The actor teams, from seven countries in the region will now come together to form a regional theatrical troupe, Report Back Africa, and work on a play to be directed and produced by Nicholas Ellenbogen. A Light in the Night of President Khaya Afrikha is a light-hearted entertaining exploration of the serious issues of resource conservation and use facing African leadership today. Eighteen international award-winning actors perform in this musical. The play explores natural resource issues with an explosion of song, dance and African story telling. The troupe will be performing in Kasane 6 November, Maun 9 November and Gaborone 29 November 2000. For more information, please contact Masego Madzwamuse IUCN Botswana.(9 October 2000)
State of The Environment of the Zambezi River Basin
IUCN Botswana, together with Minister Jacob Nkate, launched the
State of the Environment of the Zambezi
River Basin 2000 on the 14th of September 2000 at Mokolodi
Nature Reserve. The publication and launch was funded by Swedish
International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida). The publication
was prepared as part of the Communicating the Environment Programme
(CEP), a southern African partnership of SADC-ELMS, IUCN-The World
Conservation Union and SARDC. (15 September 2000)
The third NGO Conference on the Environment was held 1-3 of August 2000 at the Grand Palm Hotel in Gaborone under the theme "Networking as a means of managing the environment". The conference was organised by the Kalahari Conservation Society and Thusano Lefatsheng and funded by HIVOS through the IUCN Botswana NGO Support Programme. Presentations covered six themes developed in the draft NGO Strategy on the Environment which are; environmental education for sustainability, research and monitoring, community based environmental management, environmental agenda, policies and legislation, land and resource tenure and environmental economics. The conference resolved, among other things, to resuscitate the Environment Liason Group in order to improve networking and established a task force to finalise the NGO Environmental Strategic Plan. The report of the conference will soon be available from the NGO Environment Botswana website. (4 August 2000)
The Theatre for Africa opened the Maitisong Festival 2000, March 24, with a play entitled 'A Beef for Buffalo' with a cast of two Batswana actors, Kabelo Ramaselwana and Kabelo Nyenye taking the leading role. As the title suggests, the play focused on the relationship between cattle and game in Botswana. It approached this relationship from different angles and observed the important role of natural resources in rural development in Botswana. This play is part of a one-year regional project which involves 6 other Southern African nations. The Global Environment Fund are the financiers whilst the Africa Resources Trust are the overall project coordinators. IUCN Botswana are the hosts of the project in Botswana in close co-operation with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, the Botswana Community Based Organisation Network and a number of environmental NGOs active in CBNRM. (25 March 2000)
At its meeting 7-9 February 2000, the IUCN Council admitted the following organisations from Botswana as new members of IUCN: Birdlife Botswana (former Botswana Bird Club), and University of Botswana's Directorate of Research and Development. 9 organisations from Botswana are now members of IUCN. In addition, the IUCN Council accorded the recognition of the IUCN Sub-Regional Committe which presently is chaired by Mr. I. Magole of the Conservation International Okavango Programme (also Chairman of the IUCN National Committee of Botswana). (10 February 2000) Click here for a complete list of IUCN members in Botswana.
Close to 20 representatives from environmental NGOs around the country are in the process of formulating strategic NGO plans for Forestry & Veld Products, Wildlife, Urban Environment, and the Okavango Delta, as well as an overall NGO Strategy on the Environment. The overall NGO Strategy on the Environment as well as the four Strategic Plans will be finalised by the end of year 2000. (10 February 2000) Read more here about the Strategic Environmental Planning Process for NGOs in Botswana.
IUCN Botswana in co-operation with the Johannesburg-based Group for Environmental Monitoring (an IUCN Member) hosted a Climate Change Scoping Meeting or Southern Africa on 10-11 August 1999 in Johannesburg. The meeting was attended by Climate Change experts from the Region and representatives from CEESP, IUCN ROSA, IUCN Country offices in the region and IUCN US to identify IUCN's niche in climate change issues in the region on the basis of which the IUCN Botswana office will develop a programme under the climate change initiative for Southern Africa. The exercise was funded through the Global Climate Change Initiative - IUCN US. (12 August 1999) More information will soon be avaliable on this website.
More than 100 representatives from community-based organisations (CBOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the private sector, and local and central government, as well as practitioners from the neighbouring countries met from 26-29 July 1999 in Gaborone at the first National Conference on CBNRM. The Conference was funded by USAID and was the culmination of a series of three workshops held during the past six months on Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana with respect to community mobilisation, enterprise development and natural resource monitoring (see more below).
"The Conference provided a forum for the partners to discuss the achievements of community-based natural resource management in Botswana to-date, the realistic opportunities of community-based natural resource management in conservation and rural development, and the policy and institutional requirements of the way forward", says Ruud Jansen, IUCN Country Representative in Botswana.
Honourable David Magang, Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, opened the Conference during a Special Opening Session attended by Members of Parliament and the House of Chiefs, diplomats, donor agencies, and senior government officials. He emphasised that "…rural development in Botswana must be based on consultation and empowerment of rural people to make decisions. It makes sense for resources to be managed by those closest to them and with the greatest interest in their sustainable use. Very simply, that is what Community-Based Natural Resource Management is about".
The Minister extended a challenge to the Conference to put forward a vision of sensible resource use and management. A future where communities are organised and appreciate the resources available to them for their wise use. Where non-governmental organisations play valuable, but still independent, partners with government to assist communities. Where Government provides the framework to help communities to manage their natural resources and where the private sector joins hands with communities and helps them gain access to business development skills for natural resource enterprises.
In his keynote address the Director of USAID's Regional Centre for Southern Africa, Mr Ed Spriggs, noted that "… Community Based Organisations have become empowered to obtain natural resource rights previously unavailable to them" and challenged the audience to consider further work on ecological monitoring, investment assistance to communities, and - business - skills training. He informed the gathering that USAID, which has invested almost 25 million US $ in CBNRM since the beginning of the Natural Resources Management Project in 1989, will continue to support CBNRM in Botswana albeit from a regional platform.
The IUCN Technical Advisor for the SADC Natural Resources Management Project, Mr Steve Johnson, observed that "… Botswana has experienced rapid and meaningful advances in community-based natural resource management over the last 3 years". Compared to other countries in the region, the focus in Botswana is not only on wildlife but also on veld products. He commended the Government of Botswana for being committed and "… realising that devolution of power to other partners, and effective partnerships, are essential for success".
The conference noted that, despite commendable progress, there is still need to address the lack of trust between communities, NGOs, government, and the private sector. Improved consultation between all stakeholders in the decision-making processes and the assertion of sustained political support were also mentioned as being key to further CBNRM development.
So as to promote CBNRM enterprise development, conference delegates recommended that security of resource and land tenure be improved by making community head leases renewable and considering extended lease periods. On the issue of monitoring natural resources, it was emphasised that communities need to be more actively involved and that information collected by communities should be used in determining appropriate resource management measures including the setting of wildlife hunting quota.
The Conference further recommended that NGOs should be more actively involved in community mobilisation and empowerment as government endeavours in this field are falling short. With reference to the private sector, various speakers noted the need for the private sector to assist communities in the development of business skills. As one of its main recommendations, the Conference called for the establishment of an independent National Forum on CBNRM in which all stakeholders would be equally represented. IUCN was requested to take the lead in convening the National Forum. Participants also called for district-based fora which would meet regularly and discuss district specific CBNRM matters. (30 July 1999) For more information and further events on CBNRM not included in this page, click here to visit the CBNRM Support Programme website.
A series of three workshops between December 1998 and June 1999 brought together CBOs, NGOs, Government and the private sector to take stock of current experiences and lessons and develop appropriate approaches, policies and strategies for the future. The workshops were organised by IUCN Botswana in close partnership with Department of Wildlife and National Parks, SNV, and the Natural Resources Managament Project. The first workshop, "Community Mobilisation in CBNRM" was held on December 8-10, 1998 in Francistown, funded by DIGS / Netherlands Embassy in Harare / SNV Botswana. The second, "Enterprise Development and CBNRM in Botswana" was held on February 9-12, 1999 in Maun, funded by DIGS / Netherlands Embassy in Harare / SNV Botswana. The third, "Natural Resources Monitoring in CBNRM in Botswana" was held on June 10-11, 1999 in Gaborone, funded by USAID under the Natural Resources Managament Project. The workshops culminated in the National Conference on CBNRM held in Gaborone 26-29 1999 (see above). (June 12 1999) For more information and further events on CBNRM not included in this page, click here to visit the CBNRM Support Programme website.