While we are Cheetah Conservation Botswana, we still endeavour to assist farmers when they suffer from conflict with carnivores – even if they’re not necessarily cheetahs. CCB received a phone call from a farmer in the Ghanzi District recently asking for assistance with problems he and his neighbour were having with lions. Following severe conflict several years ago, the farmer built an electric fence on two sides of his farm where the lions were entering the farm. This intervention substantially reduced lion problems to almost none. However, seasonal heavy rains caused the fence to malfunction and lions entered the farm and killed six cattle. One animal (pictured below) miraculously managed to escape the attack with only minor injuries and is continuing to recover near the homestead.
 
The CCB team discussed several deterrent options with the farmers, which could be used to help repel lions from their livestock. Our field teams are working on a proposal that might include testing novel scent deterrent devices in the area to see if this helps keep lions from their prize-winning cattle. We will keep you updated on the progress of these plans and any carnivore problems in the area. However, we are incredibly impressed by the farmers’ willingness to experiment with non-lethal approaches to promote the coexistence of farmers and carnivores. We hope that we can provide them with additional non-lethal measures which they can use to minimize their livestock loss to carnivores.

Other farmers and community members can learn more about the dangers different carnivores pose to their livestock, ways of telling which carnivore you are dealing with, and preventative measures to take through using our resources (available on the Resource page of our website, and in print at our various offices.)

As a member of the Botswana Council of NGOs (BOCONGO), CCB was invited to participate in an ongoing, pan-African civil society study. The study by Forus International is set to assess the state of civil society organizations and their reach of operation so as to inform its 2021-2025 strategic plan for engagement in Africa. Botswana is one of the countries which Forus operates within and – along with Benin, Chad, DRC, Gambia and Zambia – forms the six countries covered by the study.
 
On the 3rd of March 2020, BOCONGO hosted a full day workshop with its members to share their insights and experiences. The workshop was facilitated by Sarah Thomas of the Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT) which has been contracted to conduct the study. The government of Botswana recognises NGOs through the work of the council, therefore participating in such fact finding exercises allows CCB to lend its voice and the concerns of the communities we work with to national operations. Participants were engaged in a number of group work exercises aimed at giving nuanced analyses of the local climate, providing timelines for optimized operation, evaluating stakeholder engagements, mapping obstacles and defining measures of success.
 
A concern of the CCB team members in attendance was that Botswana’s civil society was not as diversely represented as it could have been – considering the importance of such consultative meetings. However, civil society reports marked success through community engagement across the country. As a result, partnering on projects was highlighted as a potential means of ensuring sustainability and resource optimization. With skill resources being scant within organisations, sharing human resources on projects was recognised as a solution. Furthermore, there was mention of initiation of new entrants into the civil society arena through mentoring and advocacy training so as to create momentum for interventions they will inherit.
 
The final report is to be shared with BOCONGO in June/July 2020 for distribution. The report will consist of all work done in the six countries in a single document – with case studies, references and examples given from all countries involved in the study. Findings of this report should provide valuable insight to what organizations in Botswana are doing well, where they have shortcomings, and what opportunities exist for capitalizing on funding resources. As a community focused organization, CCB is invested in getting the most out of the available resources to make promoting coexistence a sustainable reality in Botswana.

The CCB “Farming for Conservation” team recently paid visits to our four role model farmers. Through the facilitation of farmers’ networks, the organization has been able to attract and monitor the activities of farmers and have earmarked these four farmers — a woman and a man each from the Jwaneng and Ghanzi networks — to work as ambassadors within local farming communities. As part of their role as model farmers, these individuals will assist CCB in training livestock guarding dog puppies, with CCB assisting them in kraal renovations in exchange for this service. Kraal improvements commenced in November 2019 and involved, among other things, reinforcing perimeters to prevent carnivores from entering the kraals.


Selected based on their success in implementing desired husbandry practices in both regions, the farmers were tasked with developing their kraals so that they met high standards of safety. The kraals, which are now in use, are purpose-built to keep livestock safely inside and assist in withstanding any carnivore attacks which might be experienced in both areas. In addition to assisting our livestock guarding dog (LGD) training program, these farms empower members of the communities by serving as demonstration sites showcasing different livestock husbandry practices to minimize conflict with wildlife.


During our recent visit to these communities, our team spent time admiring the new kraals, and sat in on a community meeting that was convened by the farmers to map a way forward for the network members throughout 2020. Activities suggested by the network members included training workshops, stakeholder collaborations, agricultural show attendance to improve the uptake of smart husbandry practices, and promoting peer-to-peer learning. As an organization invested in community development, and through initiatives such as these model farmers, CCB hopes to see farmers develop their livestock health and size, thus improving their income streams and trading well kept, quality breeds. Furthermore, we hope the role model farmers continue practicing smart farming (such as using LGDs, timely health care, and attentive record keeping) to augment methods which have led to their success thus far. This visit was fruitful, and 2020 promises to be an eventful year for our farmers’ networks as we collectively strive to promote coexistence.

World Wetlands Day is observed every year on the 2nd of February and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MENT) hosted an event to this end in Maun. CCB staff was among the 500 participants engaged in the festivities along with representatives from the village leadership, the District Commissioner’s Office, various government departments, parastatals and private companies. While the cause for the day was celebration, there were calls for meditation on solutions to curb harmful trends affecting the wetlands of the world.


The theme for this year’s celebrations was Wetlands and Biodiversity: Life Thrives in Wetlands. In her speech, Honourable Minister Phildah Kereng, highlighted that her ministry is continuously making sure that the Okavango Delta is preserved and conserved. This was stated in response to the harrowing fact that 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, and we are faced with losing another 1% of those remaining soon. The impact of climate change on conservation efforts was also noted as a pressing challenge. Further challenges facing the government include the welfare and prosperity of communities within the Okavango Delta, whose livelihoods reflect the inverse of this year’s theme. Understanding that coexistence takes many forms, it is imperative that all who can contribute to improving the situations of people, wildlife and wetlands, get involved promptly.


For its part, the Ministry resolved to ensure that the annual celebrations continue to improve, along with amplifying the participation of communities that live in these wetlands. On a national level the government, through MENT, is presently working on policies, laws and strategies to try and preserve and conserve the environment. As an organization which works closely with communities across the country, CCB is bolstered in our efforts by the commitment from government agencies to promote coexistence and prosperity at all levels of our valuable ecosystems.