Overview of BIOKAVANGO project to TLB workshop: Biodiversity integration into Tawana Land Board Daily activities

29th November, 2007; Riley’s Hotel

Sibangani Mosojane (MSc)Biodiversity Coordinator Tawana Land BoardP. O. Box 134 Maun

Introduction

1. The BIOKAVANGO Project overview

2. The Need for Biodiversity integration into TLB daily activities

3. Objectives/Expectations of the Workshop

Building Local Capacity for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the Okavango

Delta (BIOKAVANGO Project)

1. Botswana has made and continues to make significant investments in BD conservation– Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)– Ramsar Convention– All these two adopt the Ecosystem Approach Principles:

focus on conservation, equitable sharing of benefits and sustainable use

– Country’s Policies on Environmental conservation/Wetland Management, are in line or are being aligned with the above Conventions

– ODMP Process– Wetlands Strategies/Plans etc

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

2. Barriers to mainstreaming BD conservation into development

i) Systemic & institutional capacity deficit• Wide range of resources and users governed by multiple managers

following an array of laws, legislation, policies and guidelines-most of which do not specifically address BD

• Poor coordination• Authorities have no formal outreach mechanism to impart/receive

information to/from resource users• Enforcement of existing BD conservation legislation is poor due to

deficits of capacity within the regulatory institutions• In some areas, policy and regulations for BD conservation are missing

e.g.aquaculture

2. Barriers to mainstreaming BD conservation into development

ii) Resource access and property rights• Tribal Land Act of 1968 allows for open access to natural resources on

tribal land• While this was sustainable in the past, the system is gradually leading

to a tragedy of the commons situations, which when combined with weak resource mgt authority, causes users to maximize resource extraction for short-term gain

• The above also leads to conflicts among users

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

2. Barriers to mainstreaming BD conservation into development

iii) Insufficient technical know-how• Delta system is complex and little is understood• Within local authorities and regulatory bodies, the number of staff

technically qualified to collect, analyze, interpret and act on BD data is often insufficient

• Limited interaction between researchers, resource users and managers and communities: Scientific findings therefore rarely used to inform mgt decisions

• Links between hydrology and ecology are still not well understood• Mechanisms for data collection, analysis and interpretation and

publication in an accessible form for decision makers and civic society are missing

• Limited capacity within Fisheries Unit to analyze habitat and identify important spawning grounds, critical growing-out environments for fish

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

2. Barriers to mainstreaming BD conservation into development

iv) Certification/Standards for tourism• Currently there are no environmental standards that the Okavango

Delta tourism operators must follow to ensure that their operations are ecologically sustainable

• The BOBS and DoT formulated Botswana Standards BOBS 50-3:2001 for grading and certification of hotels and related establishments, but this system merely rates establishments’ facilities and does not account for environmental practices and impacts on BD

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

3. Project Goal and Objectives

i) Goal• The natural integrity and ecological services provided by

Botswana’s wetlands are sustained

ii) Objective• BD management objectives are mainstreamed into the main

production sectors of the Okavango Delta

iii) 3 production sectors that dominate resource uses within the Okavango Delta: water management; tourism and fishing

iv) The 3 sectors also provide good opportunities for the successful integration of BD objectives within production systems

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

4. Project Outcomes and Activities

i) Outcome 1• Enabling environment strengthened at both systemic and institutional

levels

ii) Outcome 2• Biodiversity management objectives integrated into the water sector

iii) Outcome 3• The tourism sector is directly contributing to BD conservation in the

Delta

iv) Outcome 4• Biodiversity friendly management methods are inducted into fisheries

production systems

BIOKAVANGO Project (continued…..)

Tawana Land Board

• The project capacitated TLB in biodiversity management and integration in its daily activities

© Rudi van Aarde

Expectations from the workshop for TLB

• Are the policies relevant and effective?

• What issues needs to be addressed on tourism?

• What are Wildlife issues that relates to land management?

• Does land use planning in the district encompass Biodiversity management?

WE THANK YOU!!