the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

9.12.8 Land Use Conflict Resolution Mechanisms
In light of the land and resource use conflicts amongst the various land users and
stakeholders in the Okavango Delta, there is need for a proactive land use conflict
resolution mechanism to be put in place. This can be in the form of an effective
institution or policy to specifically deal with land use conflicts in the area. This
initiative, however, needs to be the collective responsibility of all the land users in
the Okavango Delta, especially local communities. Sustainable resource utilisation is
only possible when restrictions agreed upon by all parties are enforced. The local
communities should, where possible, administer the enforcement of laws. Laws and
institutions become sustainable when they come from the local people and other
stakeholders and are enforced by them. This reality can therefore be used as the
basis for the development of a land use conflict resolution mechanism in wildlife
areas (Mbaiwa, 1999).
To address the problem of the lack of involvement by local communities in land and
resource management, as discussed in chapter seven, and the ensuing conflicts,
negative perceptions and apprehensions, some form of political and economic
decentralisation by the central government and private sector must occur in the
Okavango Delta region. Political decentralisation should provide a basis for
agreements and the development of more local control over the natural resource
base. Furthermore, the relations between the Department of Wildlife and National
Parks, district governments and communities are important, particularly with respect
to control over and access to natural resources. It is increasingly clear that natural
resources tend to be managed more sustainably when local communities and
individual households have clear and secure control over their resources and can
influence how they should be used. Secure access to natural resources is therefore
a pre-requisite for investment by households and communities in land
improvements. This will not only help ensure the sustainability of production, but in
turn reduce the conflicts over resources (Wood, 1993; Mbaiwa, 1999).
At an international level, there is an urgent need to address the conflicts regarding
the future use of the Okavango's water. The development of an integrated
management plan, that considers all stakeholders, and prioritises the preservation of
the system and its resources, must be developed and effectively implemented for
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