Is Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana Viable?

The document examines Botswana's CBNRM policy, which aims to reduce poverty and promote biodiversity by involving local communities in wildlife management. It highlights the tension between centralised state control and local devolution, the financial impact of the 2014 hunting moratorium, and the role of joint venture partnerships with private operators. Through case studies of the Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) and the Okavango Community Trust (OCT), the paper identifies issues with revenue transparency, human-wildlife conflict, and limited local capacity, ultimately recommending improved governance, diversified economic activities, and stronger legislative support.

• Botswana's economy is heavily reliant on diamonds, which accounted for 82% of exports and one-third of government revenue, making the transition to alternative growth sectors like eco-tourism critical as diamond revenues are projected to decline from 2016.
• The 2007 amended CBNRM policy created a hybrid revenue model to address geographic inequality, as 80% of CBNRM income is concentrated in the north; under this policy, 35% of revenue goes to community-based organisations (CBOs) and 65% flows into the National Environment Fund (NEF).
• The 2014 hunting moratorium caused significant financial losses for some community trusts, particularly those in areas not suitable for photographic safaris, and is believed by some locals to have increased poaching and illegal bush meat trade.
• The Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) demonstrates the potential for livelihood diversification, using CBNRM funds to invest in agricultural equipment and industrial projects like corn milling and brick-moulding, though it saw revenues drop from $578,685 in 2011 to $250,000 following the hunting moratorium.
• The Okavango Community Trust (OCT) case shows that non-consumptive tourism can successfully replace hunting revenue in photographically suitable areas, with lease fees and staff costs totaling approximately $4.16 million between 2006 and 2009.
• CBNRM implementation is hindered by a lack of transparency in revenue distribution, insufficient skills transfer from private partners to locals, and a lack of continuity in decision-making due to the three-year rotation of board members.
• Human-wildlife conflict remains a major challenge, with elephants and lions damaging crops and livestock, leading to calls for integrated land-use planning and models of wildlife-livestock integration.

APA

Chevallier, R., & Harvey, R. (2016). Is Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana Viable? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Policy-Insights-31.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy, and Ross Harvey. Is Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana Viable? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Policy-Insights-31.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |last2=Harvey |first2=Ross |title=Is Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana Viable? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Policy-Insights-31.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2016communitybased, author = {Chevallier, Romy and Harvey, Ross}, title = {{Is Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana Viable?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Policy-Insights-31.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }