Towards a community involvement framework for remote area communities in Botswana

Abstract

Current land use conflicts between the Basarwa (Bushmen) and the Botswana Government over access to the Moremi Game Reserve and the use of resources found in it, provide opportunities and challenges for all the stakeholders involved. This thesis seeks to understand the efforts of the Botswana Government to involve the Khwai community in wildlife and tourism usage in the Okavango Delta. An assessment of community - government consultation processes were carried out to establish the impact of the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) on the livelihoods of the Basarwa. A qualitative research study was used to obtain and interpret rich data sets. Data were collected through interviews with key informants, particularly Government decision-makers, Khwai village leadership and NGOs. The findings were used to develop a theoretical framework to strengthen future initiatives aimed at empowering and capacitating individuals, families and communities of the Basarwa. The research problem explores how the Basarwa community in the Khwai village of Botswana can be actively engaged and involved in the social and economic development efforts that address their livelihood, needs and interests. In conclusion, this thesis emphasises that minority communities in Botswana should be involved in decision-making processes of policy-makers, so that their voices and views can influence sustainability programmes with the purpose of creating empowering opportunities. The paper contributes to research on community involvement in the African context, which has been limited thus far. It also serves as a basis for the development of potential communication strategy tools and for future scientific research on the topic.