Final Evaluation of the - UNEP

72. When the FE met with representatives, they showed a very limited understanding of the
concept of the Trust. No bye-laws or regulations had been drawn up to control access to
grazing land. The development Plan (prepared by BCA) is to be in English, a language very
few of the Committee understood. The committee had asked for the plans to be translated but
was told it would be too expensive. Consultation with the community was done but one got
the feeling that the plans were imposed on them. The plans include ecotourism projects
(campsite and/or lodge), (ongoing) “drift” fencing and development of the 192 ha. exclosure,
and plans to take over and manage the 3777 ha. Dithopo ranch, currently under the
management of the Dept. of Wildlife & National Parks (Division of Management &
Utilization). Options for the latter include a joint venture with private sector.
73. The concept of a Village Biodiversity Conservation Area exclosure for the protection of
indigenous vegetation is a good one provided livestock are indeed excluded (or at least
allowed very limited access whereby the area is kept as a dry season fodder bank) and
provided the area is not turned into cropping land. The potential for fruit and medicinal trees
(Marula, Ziziphus, Strychnos, “mologha” (Loganiaceae), Grewia flava, Terfzii truffles, bush
melons {Citrullus lanatus} etc) is substantial even if the produce is restricted to local trade,
subsistence or as nutritional supplement). Again there can be the problem of who will benefit
from a communal exclosure.
74. A past project in the area is an indictment of the community-run concept. The Morerwane
project was a vegetable garden run by a youth group of 12 persons from Lephepe village. IVP
contributed over $10,000 for shade netting. A further $3000 had been contributed by a
Canadian NGO. The simple technology was provided by Dr. Gus Nielsen who runs successful
vegetable enterprises round Gaborone. It consists of “bench beds” which control moisture loss
downwards as the beds are sealed by concrete. Water was reticulated from a borehole 2 km
away. All the technical pre-requisites were in place for a profitable enterprise. The four
remaining women in charge were dispirited. The shade net had collapsed and was torn. The
group had dispersed; the remaining women said the others were lazy and uncommitted yet
they still wanted to benefit from the produce.
75. Alternative livelihoods activities are generally not based on the resources to be managed
(except Hoodia) but they have generally been successful in gaining the goodwill of the
communities towards the project. The future for BORAVAST in Bokspits (Kgalaghadi) is
similarly tenuous. Some dune stabilization has been done. Hoodia gordonii production is one
activity in Khalagadi that is both income-generating (the dried fruit pods fetch around $250-
300/ kg) and related directly to biodiversity conservation, but this has only just started. Pilot
communities have been organized into representative management structures and several
IGAs started. Selling airtime was declared the most profitable though this is a service not a
productive industry. Brick-making, sheep-raising/ wool production, weaving/ spinning,
provisioning of shops etc had also been tried but all were variously unsuccessful. So despite
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