2009 Winter Course Work

Seventeen University of Botswana undergraduate students completed their work for HOORC's Winter Course this week, wrapping up six weeks of research training and fieldwork assignments with presentations of the results of their research.

This year's work showed an increased focus on environmental health with An assessment of the level of knowledge on malaria among Maun residents by Keletso Benjamin, The use of traditional knowledge to prevent livestock diseases in Toteng village, Ngamiland District by Moabiemang Gabalebatse, A case study on perceptions of Matlapana residents on the 2008 alcohol levy by Tsaone Goikantswemang, Assessing the potability of water at Xhobe watering point by Z. Kemmonye, Effluent quality assessment from Letsholathebe Hospital treatment plant by Mothusi Dikole and Impact of wetland vegetation on water quality by Aobakwe Kathleen Lubinda.

Tourism studies included The contribution of culture to sustainable tourism at Khwai Village in the Okavango Delta, Botswana by Gorata Maokanyane, Investigating the state of convention tourism in Maun : case of hotels and lodges by Phemelo Oabona and Impacts of accommodation facilities on the livelihoods of local people : case of Khwai River Lodge and Khwai Village by Dimpho Malebogo Matlhola.

Studies of the ecology of vegetation and soil in the Okavango included A comparative assessment of soil fertility on arable farming practices in Shorobe village by Onalenna Petros, The influence of ungulates grazing on nutrient status of the soil and vegetation around University of Botswana Maun Campus, Sexaxa by Chawata Moitlhobogi and A LANDSAT TM data based monitoring of pre-fire and post-fire vegetation recovery and dynamics at Xakao, Okavango Delta (2000-2004) by Kaone Rakhudu.

Economic studies included The impact of flood inflow of the Boteti River on livelihoods activities in Xhobe settlement by Tshimologo Andrias, Social dynamics of participating in labour intensive public works (LIPWP) program in Maun by Kesaobaka Molebatsi and Water demand in a rural set up: the case of Boro Village by Itumeleng P. Oageng.

Senatla Gobopaone made a case study in Sankuyo of The role of taboos and totems in conservation of animals and vegetation while Baitshepi Mashabe produced an Assessment of livestock predation by carnivores and households adaptation in Shorobe. Natural resources governance was addressed by Dominic Tshiamiso in his study, Assessment of Tubu community's perceptions towards joint management system of natural resources management.

You can find the students' reports in HOORC's Library.

Visit by students from Pitzer College

HOORC's library has visitors from the Pitzer College this morning led by Larry K. Grill, Director of the Vaccine Development Institute and a Visiting Professor of the Claremont Colleges. Their main area of interest is in developing vaccines for lumpy skin diseases and also foot and mouth diseases. This visit is part of a collaboration programme with the University of Botswana.

Community veterinary clinics for livestock guarding dogs

Cheetah Conservation Botswana recently conducted the first in a proposed series of Community Veterinary Clinics as part of its developing Livestock Guarding Dog Programme. During the last week of January 2009, the organization teamed up with Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) to stage a veterinary clinic for owners of domestic dogs in the Ghanzi District. Visiting Grootlagtle, Qabo, Kuke, as well as Ghanzi itself (which all border wildlife management areas), the objective was to trial and assess the potential for providing such mobile veterinary clinics for owners of guarding and herding dogs, as well as to other domestic dogs living within dispersed rural communities. The strategy is to help to control canine diseases, which can not only be passed to the more valuable guard dogs, but potentially into species such as the vulnerable African Wild Dog. You can read more about the clinic on the organization's web site.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 1, 9 January 2009

Republic of Botswana: Tender: Consultancy to develop management plan for Mosema Community Conservation Trust in partnership with Department of Forestry and Range Resources (second publication)
7
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Consultancy to develop management plan for Kawii Community Conservation Trust in partnership with Department of Forestry and Range Resources (second publication)
7
Ngamiland District Council: Integrated schedule of meetings, 2009
35

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 4, 16 January 2009

Road transport (Permits) Act: Road Transport Permits Regulations: application for road transport permits – “P” permits: Okavango Wilderness Safaris, Mobile Safari; Island Safari, Mobile Safari; Planet Wilderness, Mobile Safari; Exploration Services, Mobile Safari; Desert & Delta Safaris, Mobile Safari; Calypso Agencies, Mobile Safari.
89-91
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Provision of consultancy services for the systematic water quality monitoring of the Okavango Delta
96

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 9, 6 February 2009

Bill No. 3 of 2009: National Meteorological Service Bill, 2009, to provide for the establishment of the National Meteorological Service, to provide for its powers and functions and to provide for related matters
B.43-B.51

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 10, 13 February 2009

Republic of Botswana: Tender: construction of the proposed regional veterinary office at Maun
535

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

Cheetah Tracks

Livestock guarding dogs (from Cheetah Conservation Botswana website)

The December 2008 issue of the newsletter of Cheetah Conservation Botswana, Cheetah Tracks, has arrived in HOORC's Library. The issue covers construction and completion of the organisation's new camp in Ghanzi, rescue of wild dog puppies, the Livestock Guarding Dog Competition Awards, current education programmes and visits to Kenya and Namibia. You can find the newsletter online and in HOORC's Library.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVI, no. 68, 29 October 2008

Supplement B: Bill No. 35 of 2008: Livestock Improvement Bill, 2008
B.313-B.330

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVI, no. 69, 31 October 2008

Republic of Botswana: Tender: Design, supply and implementation of the National Disaster Management System for the National Disaster Management Office
5536
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Supply and installation of equipment for water pollution control laboratory mobile unit
5592
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Supply and installation of equipment for water conservation education and public awareness mobile unit
5593

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

New in HOORC's Library: protecting livestock from predators

Caracal/Thwane from the identification chapter of the guide

Cheetah Conservation Botswana's updated guide to predators for farmers and ranchers, The predator - safe livestock guide : an introduction to protecting livestock and deterring predators , has arrived in HOORC's Library. The booklet explains how to deter predators through use of kraals, fencing and livestock guard animals, and includes a complete chapter with one-page identification guides to the major predators in the Southern African region. You can download the booklet from the organization's web site or find a printed copy in HOORC's Library.

New in HOORC's Library: domestic animal and wildlife interface

The domestic animal/wildlife interface : issues for disease control, conservation, sustainable food production, and emerging diseases edited by E. Paul J. Gibbs and Bob H. Bokma, is the result of a conference and workshop series, Wildlife and Livestock, Disease and Sustainability: What Makes Sense? held 22-27 July 2001 in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. The volume includes much that is relevant to Okavango region planning, including: Wildife and Pastoral Society -- Shifting Paradigms in Disease Control, Relating National Veterinary Services to the Country's Livestock Industry -- Case Studies from Four Countries : Great Britain, Botswana, Peru and Vietnam, The Fencing Issue Relative to the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Serologic Survey of Selected Viral, Bacterial, and Priotozoal Agents in Captive and Free-Ranging Ungulates from Central Kenya, and Implications of Tuberculosis in African Wildife and Livestock. You can find the book in HOORC's Library, and more resources about livestock and the environment on the LEAD Livestock Environment and Development Virtual Centre.

Rural livelihoods research

Okavango Delta fishermen, Aquarap 2000

HOORC researchers Professor Donald Kgathi and Dr Barbara Ngwenya, with associate Dr Julie Wilk of Linkoping University, have published their research about how Okavango communities have coped with disruption of their economies by illness and environmental events. Shocks and rural livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, recently published in Development Southern Africa, describes adaptive behaviour of villagers in the face of drying river channels, the spread of HIV/AIDS, and livestock diseases, and suggests that understanding this behaviour can be used to develop diversification strategies that might reduce the impact of future shocks. You can find the article in HOORC's Library.

Botswana Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLV, no. 8 26 January 2007

Supplement A – Botswana Government Extraordinary Gazette: Livestock and Meat Industries Act, 2006
A.1-5

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLV, no. 11 5 February 2007

Supplement C – Botswana Government Extraordinary Gazette: Statutory Instrument No. 3 of 2007: Finance and Audit Act (Cap. 54:01): Tropical Forest Conservation Fund Order, 2007 (based on agreement between Botswana and USA 5 October 2006)
C.7-10

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLV, no. 13 9 February 2007

Tender: Republic of Botswana: Provision of consultancy services for tabulation, data analysis, and preparation of report for 2006 Botswana demographic survey (second publication)
556

Tender: Republic of Botswana Dept. of Water Affairs: Consultancy service
627

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site.
The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

New FAO LEAD report

Livestock’s Long Shadow –Environmental Issues and Options, produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the support of the multi-institutional Livestock, Environment and Development (LEAD) Initiative, suggests that livestock should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. You can read the executive summary on LEAD's digital library web site.

Human-crocodile conflict research presented at HOORC

Photo courtesy of Georgina Thomas

Georgina Thomas, graduate student in Stellenbosch University's Department of Conservation, Ecology and Entomology and participant in the Okavango Crocodile Project coordinated by Dr Alison Leslie, presented the findings of her research on human-crocodile conflicts in the Okavango Delta today at HOORC. The number of human-crocodile conflicts in the Okavango delta has increased substantially since 1940: Ms Thomas' survey of 34 communities revealed a high number of crocodile attacks on livestock -- four for every person interviewed -- and six attacks on human beings a year. Fifty-five per cent of livestock losses is reported to government for compensation. The Okavango Crocodile Project is working to raise awareness of the ecological role of crocodiles and to educate communities about possible interventions and prevention programmes. In the HOORC Library Peter Smith Collection you can find Crocodile Fever by Earl Lawrence and Discoveries of a Crocodile Man by Tony Pooley.

Drought policy options for pastoral livelihoods online conference

LEAD -- the FAO 's Livestock, Environment and Development programme formed to promote ecologically sustainable livestock production systems -- is sponsoring an online conference on drought and pastoral livelihoods. The conference beginning this week and continuing until 13 December 2006, is discussing two policy papers, "Community Based Drought Management for the Pastoral Livestock Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa” and “Investing in Maintaining Mobility in Pastoral Systems of the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa” that have been written for the ALIVE multi-actor partnership. You can access both policy papers online.

New in HOORC’s Library: Environmental assessment of the livestock sector in Botswana

The report of Component Three of a study prepared for the Botswana Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on the viability and long term development strategy for the beef sub-sector in Botswana has been deposited in HOORC’s library. Focused on the relationship among livestock farming, wildlife and natural resource management, the report acknowledges that “the days of rapid livestock expansion, driven by borehole expansion and ranching, are over and the sector’s future lies in increasing productivity of existing livestock grazing areas, especially from ranches and cattle post areas.” You can read the recommendations made in Final report : environmental assessment of the livestock (beef) sector in Botswana : livestock, beef and natural resource management.

Livestock wildlife interactions report

The February issue of the online newsletter of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Livestock, Environment and Development Initiative (FAO – LEAD) announced the publication of Conservation and Development Interventions at the Wildlife/Livestock Interface: Implications for Wildlife, Livestock and Human Health, jointly produced by IUCN and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The report, based on discussions at the Fifth World Parks Congress in Durban, looks at competition over grazing and water resources, disease transmission, local and global food security, and other potential sources of conflict related to land-use decision-making and the reality of resource constraints. The Wildlife Conservation Society, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Veterinary Specialist Group and partners have launched a programme, Animal Health for the Environment And Development (AHEAD) that will continue to look at these issues. The book is available for download from the AHEAD site.

AHEAD report

Land use issues in neighbouring Namibia

AllAfrica.com reports on the dispute in Namibia's west Kavango area between Oshiwambo-speaking cattle farmers and the Kwangali tribal authority in Kavango Region over cattle grazing rights. Oshiwambo-speaking farmers with reported 60,000 cattle grazing illegally in west Kavango are refusing to obey evictions orders made in late November. Further south, in the Otjozondjupa Region, four new communal area conservancies were gazetted. Meanwhile the Namibian Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) is pressing the Namibian government to address delays in allocation of hunting concessions.