1. In June 2018, a Presidential Sub-Committee of Cabinet was tasked to
initiate a social dialogue aimed at reviewing the ban on hunting. The process
entailed a nationwide process including holding Kgotla meetings, consultation
with Local Authorities as well as other stakeholders.
2. The fundamental issue that emerged was the appreciation by citizens
that they were being consulted. This was seen as necessary for building on the
national principles of: Democracy, Development, Self-reliance, Unity and Botho.
3. Some of the findings of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban and
Social Dialogue were as follows:
i) The number and high levels of human-elephant conflict and the
consequent impact on livelihoods was increasing;
ii) Predators appear to have increased and were causing a lot of damage
as they kill livestock in large numbers;
iii) There is a negative impact of the hunting suspension on
livelihoods, particularly for community based organisations that were
previously benefiting from consumptive utilisation;
iv) The lack of capacity within the Department of Wildlife and National
Parks leads to long response time to problem animal control reports; and
v) The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting ban
should be lifted.
4. On the basis of these issues, The Government has assessed all these
recommendations and has accepted all but one recommendation which makes reference
to regular culling of elephants and establishing an elephant meat canning
including production of pet food. This was rejected because culling is not
considered acceptable given the overall continental status of elephants.
Rather, a more sustainable method such as selective cropping should be
employed.
5. Therefore the principal recommendation that has been adopted is the
one which proposes the re-instatement of hunting.
(i) Essentially:
• Hunting will be allowed on a small, strictly controlled basis, with
fewer than 400 elephant licenses to be granted annually, as has been approved
by CITES.
• Priority will be given to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and
Trusts in allocation of hunting quotas (over 50% of quota to be given to CBOs
and Trusts).
• Hunting will be re-instated only in designated Concession Hunting
Areas (CHAs.)
• There will be equitable distribution of citizen hunting quota.
• Citizen hunting license shall not be transferable.
• An effective hunting quota allocation system shall be developed based
on science;
• Animals to be included in the hunting quota shall be those currently
reflected in Schedule 7 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act of 1992.
• Special game license will not be re-instated due to existence of other
government social safety nets to cover for such
(ii) A legal framework that will create an enabling environment for
growth of safari hunting industry will be developed;
(iii) The Botswana elephant population will be managed within its
historic range;
(iv) An effective community outreach programme within the elephant range
for Human Elephant Conflict mitigation will be undertaken;
(v) Strategically placed human wildlife conflict fences will be
constructed in key hotspots areas;
(vi) Game Ranches will be demarcated to serve as buffers between
communal and wildlife areas;
(vii) Compensation for damage caused by wildlife, ex gratia amounts and
the list of species that attract compensation be reviewed; and other models
that alleviate compensation burden on government be considered;
(viii) All wildlife migratory routes that are not beneficial to the
Country’s conservation efforts will be closed;
(ix) The Kgalagadi south westerly antelope migratory route into South
Africa will be closed by demarcating game ranches between the communal areas
and Kgalagadi Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
6. In all the actions taken, whether for or against any recommendations,
the guiding principles were: the need to conserve our natural resources, the
need to facilitate human wildlife co-existence; and scientific management of
our elephants and other wildlife species.
7. All the above notwithstanding, Government shall continue to monitor
the situation and may cause for periodic review of the recommendation approved.
In doing so, Government shall endeavor to consult the affected communities,
community leadership, non-Governmental Organisations, etc.
8. Botswana Government is convinced that tourism can be fully exploited
sustainably to benefit the economy.
Sustainable tourism calls for the development of tourism policies that
assure the safeguarding of social, cultural and natural resources and guarantee
that these assets can meet the needs of present and future populations and
tourists.
It is for this reason that Government has also approved strategies for
facilitating citizen participation in the tourism sector. The strategy has
several models which advocate for, among others:
i) The allocation of existing vacant concessions and identified sites
solely to citizen companies, joint ventures, community trusts and community of
citizen consortia;
ii) Where existing concession operators issue more than 25% of
shareholding to citizen companies, consortia, joint ventures or community
trusts, a fixed period lease of 30 years be issued under the new leaseholding;
iii) Land allocated to citizens through tourism citizen economic
empowerment model be used as collateral by allottees to secure shareholding and
or partnerships.
Thank you.
[Felix Monggae]
ACTING PERMANENT SECRETARY
