the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...
the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ... the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...
7.3.7.2 Lack of Understanding of the Concept of CBNRM by the Local Communities The CBNRM concept in Botswana and the Okavango in particular is relatively new and is generally not understood by the local communities (Mbaiwa, 2002). As a result, community-based projects rely, for much of their support, on the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) which mobilises communities to form CBOs and provides them with most of the technical advice in forming joint venture partnerships with safari operators. This dependence on the DWNP in providing direction for CBOs is unsustainable, in (as stated earlier) that projects that rely on outside assistance are generally not fully independent and are most likely to collapse once the external support is withdrawn. In addition, Rozemeijer and van der Jagt (2000) highlight the fact that the DWNP does not have the necessary resources for long-term facilitation. At times it endorses the establishment of a trust, and provides a wildlife quota, knowing that it will not be able to provide the necessary follow-up support, leaving behind a resource rich, but institutionally challenged community (Mbaiwa, 2004). The lack of understanding by the rural communities of the concept of CBNRM in the Okavango Delta is further illustrated by the failure of communities to invest money generated from CBNRM projects appropriately. This is shown by many local communities proposing and engaging in community-based projects that are too elaborate and complicated for them to understand and manage. For example, in an attempt to re-invest funds generated from land rentals or the sale of wildlife quotas, almost all CBOs have bought Land Cruiser vehicles, which have effectively been turned into free public transport systems for the respective Villages. They have also tried to invest their money by starting up businesses such as kiosks and bottlestores in their villages, which often failed due to a lack of managerial skills and mismanagement of funds (Table 7.11) (Mbaiwa, 2002). 336
Table 7.11: Brief Review on Progress Made by Six CBOs in the Okavango Delta in 2000 Name ofCBO Village(s) Involved Comments Sankuyo Sankuyo - households got Pula 200 each in 1997 Tshwaragano - built 40 Enviro Loo toilets for 40 households (not operating) Management - purchased a Land Cruiser, built an office and social centre Trust - building traditional village in their community area - opened kiosk, which stopped operating due to losses Okavango Seronga, Eretsha, - bought a plot at Seronga with shop, bottlestore, guest Community Gunotsoga, house and office (shop and bottlestore closed due to Trust Beetsha, Gudigwa mismanagement of funds - built kiosks in Gunotsoga, Eretsha and Gudigwa, which have closed down due to mismanagement of funds - purchased 2 Land Cruisers, 1 truck and 1 motor boat (motor boat not operational due to breakdown) Mababe Mababe - bought a vehicle, and besides sub-leasing their land and Zokotsane sale of wildlife quota, they have no immediate plans of Community Trust what to do in investing in tourism business Okavango Ditshiping, Boro, - bought a Land Cruiser Kopano Xaxaba, Daunara, - currently have no plans to invest in any new activities Mokoro Community Trust Xharaxao, Xuxao Khwai Khwai - in the process of buying a vehicle and constructing two Development Trust tourist camps (traditional villages) in their community area Cgaecgae Xaixai - started office, campsite, trust hall, craft shop, and guest Tlhabologo house (all of which are operational) Trust - bought a Land Cruiser - future plans to open a bakery and start a vegetable garden Source: Adapted From Mbaiwa, 2002. The lack of understanding and the necessary entrepreneurial skills to run tourism projects force CBOs to seek the assistance of private sector safari companies who have such knowledge and experience. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that there is too much focus on high-income tourist projects requiring high levels of organisational managerial skills, which is not easily available in rural areas. Community-based tourism projects would be more successful if perhaps, more focus was placed on viable and appropriate projects that could be managed with the locally available skills in rural areas (Mbaiwa, 2002). The sUb-leasing of concession areas by CBOs has also resulted in some safari hunting operators exploiting the situation to their advantage. Their ability to market themselves in Europe provides tremendous profit from animal quotas that they buy 337
- Page 310 and 311: Experience shows that some animals,
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- Page 328 and 329: Delta, while previously inhabitants
- Page 330 and 331: facilities that do not have boats,
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- Page 337 and 338: Today, Hyphaene petersiana palms as
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- Page 349 and 350: • • • • • • 7.3.4 Clari
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- Page 357 and 358: at the same time allowing them to d
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- Page 363 and 364: their land, etc., such as cash, mea
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Table 7.11: Brief Review on Progress Made by Six CBOs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2000<br />
Name <strong>of</strong>CBO Village(s) Involved Comments<br />
Sankuyo Sankuyo - households got Pula 200 each <strong>in</strong> 1997<br />
Tshwaragano<br />
- built 40 Enviro Loo toilets for 40 households (not operat<strong>in</strong>g)<br />
Management<br />
- purchased a Land Cruiser, built an <strong>of</strong>fice and social centre<br />
Trust<br />
- build<strong>in</strong>g traditional village <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir community area<br />
- opened kiosk, which stopped operat<strong>in</strong>g due to losses<br />
Okavango Seronga, Eretsha, - bought a plot at Seronga with shop, bottlestore, guest<br />
Community Gunotsoga, house and <strong>of</strong>fice (shop and bottlestore closed due to<br />
Trust Beetsha, Gudigwa mis<strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> funds<br />
- built kiosks <strong>in</strong> Gunotsoga, Eretsha and Gudigwa, which<br />
have closed down due to mis<strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> funds<br />
- purchased 2 Land Cruisers, 1 truck and 1 motor boat<br />
(motor boat not operational due to breakdown)<br />
Mababe Mababe - bought a vehicle, and besides sub-leas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir land and<br />
Zokotsane sale <strong>of</strong> wildlife quota, <strong>the</strong>y have no immediate plans <strong>of</strong><br />
Community<br />
Trust<br />
what to do <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
Okavango Ditship<strong>in</strong>g, Boro, - bought a Land Cruiser<br />
Kopano Xaxaba, Daunara, - currently have no plans to <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> any new activities<br />
Mokoro<br />
Community<br />
Trust<br />
Xharaxao, Xuxao<br />
Khwai Khwai - <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> buy<strong>in</strong>g a vehicle and construct<strong>in</strong>g two<br />
Development<br />
Trust<br />
tourist camps (traditional villages) <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir community area<br />
Cgaecgae Xaixai - started <strong>of</strong>fice, campsite, trust hall, craft shop, and guest<br />
Tlhabologo house (all <strong>of</strong> which are operational)<br />
Trust - bought a Land Cruiser<br />
- future plans to open a bakery and start a vegetable garden<br />
Source: Adapted From Mbaiwa, 2002.<br />
The lack <strong>of</strong> understand<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong> necessary entrepreneurial skills to run <strong>tourism</strong><br />
projects force CBOs to seek <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> private sector safari companies who<br />
have such knowledge and experience. This problem is exacerbated by <strong>the</strong> fact that<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is too much focus on high-<strong>in</strong>come tourist projects requir<strong>in</strong>g high levels <strong>of</strong><br />
organisational managerial skills, which is not easily available <strong>in</strong> rural areas.<br />
Community-based <strong>tourism</strong> projects would be more successful if perhaps, more focus<br />
was placed on viable and appropriate projects that could be managed with <strong>the</strong><br />
locally available skills <strong>in</strong> rural areas (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />
The sUb-leas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> concession areas by CBOs has also resulted <strong>in</strong> some safari<br />
hunt<strong>in</strong>g operators exploit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> situation to <strong>the</strong>ir advantage. Their ability to market<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves <strong>in</strong> Europe provides tremendous pr<strong>of</strong>it from animal quotas that <strong>the</strong>y buy<br />
337
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