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

Project Background

The BIOKAVANGO Project's aim is to lift barriers to mainstreaming biodiversity conservation objectives into the activities of three production sectors: water, tourism and fisheries, all dependent on ecological services and goods provided by the Okavango wetland system. The Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government of Botswana, and implemented by the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC) in Maun. Project design is founded on the recognition that command and control approaches alone are inadequate to ensure effective and sustainable mainstreaming of biodiversity management objectives in the production sectors of the Okavango Delta.

Outcome & Interventions

Sustainability of project outcomes

Provision has been made in project design to assure financial, institutional and social sustainability of conservation outcomes. A number of factors combine to ensure that the prospects for achieving a high level of sustainability are good. The policy framework in the various economic sectors and conservation arena is relatively well elaborated, and the country has an effective governance framework, anchored in strong political will. The investment climate needed to cultivate private sector confidence in the economy is supportive, and the country boasts a thriving private sector. The project focuses on sectors dependent upon the sustainable use of biodiversity, where the investment risk associated with the erosion of ecological integrity within the wetland is accordingly high. Interventions are focused on realising conservation gains without compromising sectoral activities and profitability. Detailed sustainability plans for each project component can be provided on request by the Project Management Unit.

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