The roadmap

By Mesh Moeti

Sekgoma Motsumi reflects momentarily on what he calls a million Dollar question.

Then he expounds: “There are challenges on the ground. Building relationships and collaboration is only the lighter part; it takes a while to change mindsets. But I must say I am impatient with the pace, although things are changing in the right direction”.

He is discussing the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP) and if it will achieve its goals. Formerly the Public Education Officer for ODMP Project, he only recently became its coordinator. Having been here since the earl days, he can talk about ODMP authoritatively.

ODMP is an ambitious plan that seeks to integrate resource management for the Okavango Delta to ensure long-term conservation, as well as encourage sustainable use of its natural resources. The draft management plan lists three strategic goals:

• To establish viable management infrastructure and tools to sustainably manage the delta resources at local, district, national and international levels.

• To ensure that the Okavango Delta (and its associates dry lands) continues to deliver present day ecosystem goods and services.

• To sustainably use the delta resources for improvement of livelihoods of all stakeholders that are directly and indirectly dependent on the ecosystem products and services of the Okavango Delta in an equitable way.

Since 2003, experts from different and diverse fields such as ecology, hydrology, wildlife biology, economics, physical planning, natural resource management, and tourism management have engaged with each other, as well as with the local communities and tourism sector to map out a universally-acceptable management plan. It was walking a tight rope given the vested interest in the area.

Home to 1 300 plant species, 71 fish species, 33 amphibians, 64 reptiles, 444 birds species, and 122 mammals, the Okavango Delta was listed as a Wetland of International Importance in April 1997. covering an area of 55 374 km², it forms the core of the world’s largest Ramsar site under the Ramsar convention for the protection of Wetlands. That easily makes it the jewel in the crown of Botswana’s tourism industry – and a playground for some of the world’s rich and famous – from royalty to film stars. But it is also home to some of the poorest people who have subsisted for generations from the delta’s resources.

“The moment you come up with a plan or framework that will introduce certain restrictions that suggests some element of control. In that case, everyone is going to protect their interest. The key challenge, therefore, becomes how to balance the interests of those who are suspicious of an initiative like this one,” says Motsumi.

The tourism industry’s overriding concern, in that regard, was how ODMP would impact on their business. Motsumi still recalls the first consultative meeting with representatives of the tourism industry. Close to 100 people attended. He ascribes the high attendance confirms the suspicions that people had about the real intentions of ODMP.

Grant Woodrow, managing director of Wilderness Safaris – one of Botswana’s biggest tourism concerns – talks of “big issues” that nearly went without the industry’s input. Among these was the suggestion from the land board to change boundaries of concession areas. He blames it on the initial inadequate communication between ODMP and the tourism industry.

“Obviously, these were issues that were going to impact on the industry. At a presentation by the land board, when we saw them putting up diagrams of boundary changes, we got nervous. That meeting was very interesting. The industry was very aggressive because it had not been part of the process. We felt since we operate in areas where ODMP is involved, we should have played a major part. ODMP took a step back and from that meeting, we have had fantastic meetings (with ODMP),” says Woodrow.

A veteran of the delta, Map Ives commands an authoritative voice within the tourism community in Maun. His work as environmental manager for Wilderness Safaris makes him a watchdog that the company adheres to best environmental protection practices. From his discussions with peers in the ODMP project, he has noted a lot of appreciation of the ecosystem approach to the delta’s conservation, which would embrace all components and users.

One area he is unhappy with is with regard to the plan’s implementation.

“The plan’s 12 components will be run by 12 different departments. I feel we need one manager to run ODMP because these things can gather dust; they need to be driven. We believe we can work together with the driving force. We need an individual within that department to be strong. The (ODMP) planning is cutting edge,” says Ives. “The private sector often has cutting edge technology available. We can work together to maintain the Okavango Delta and make it a prize among the Ramsar sites.”

Woodrow underscores that while ODMP is set to be a working document for six years, and afterwards a more binding one, there is need for continues interaction by all stakeholders. He suggests annual meetings to thrash out issues of concern.

“We shouldn’t wait until five-and-half years have passed. We need to ensure that communication continues. Some issues will go quickly, and others won’t. After six years we need to ensure that we have the right policies that work for Botswana and the Okavango Delta,” Grant points out.

Motsumi agrees.