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

The long-term goal of the full project is: to secure the long-term sustenance of the biological diversity of wetlands in Botswana and contribute to the conservation of wetland biodiversity regionally and globally. The purpose is to put in place community and private sector-based adaptive management models for globally significant wetland ecosystems in the Okavango delta which will ensure the long-term sustenance of its biodiversity. To achieve this, the project will develop and dissemination of best management practices for conservation in the productive landscape. Activities would be implemented by the rural communities and tourism practitioners in collaboration with local and central government institutions. The PDF B grant and associated co-financing will fund the activities required to prepare the full Project, and to develop a proposal and ancillary documentation for submission to GEF. It will be based on extensive stakeholder participation, and will be designed to provide information to and generate awareness among stakeholders. The PDF B will have the following components. 1: Conservation needs assessment. 2: Institutional analysis - communities, local authorities, tourism operators 3: Sustainable use livelihood and commercial resource use assessment 4: Consensus building and participation planning 5: Preparation of Full Project Brief and Project Document