Chandapiwa Baputaki
7 September 2005
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Tutu Tsiang said yesterday that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) continues to contribute in the conservation of rare species like the black rhino and the production of the red data book for birds in Botswana.
Officiating at a workshop of GEF and its Small Grants Programme (SGP), Tsiang said the black rhino and birds are some of the important conservation areas that have not been fully addressed by government interventions.
She said that efforts have been made to integrate environmental conservation of natural resources for the benefits of the present and future generations. She stated that it is critical to take stock of how the GEF - SGP has utilised the opportunity to assist the relevant ministries and other beneficiaries of their programmes. "We appreciate the fact that GEF - SGP recognises that exchange and sharing of information on best practises and lessons are important in shaping the programme to build sustainability through involvement of stakeholders." She said that such an endeavour should strengthen and enable forging of partnerships in collectively managing the environment and at the same time realising some of the objectives of Vision 2016.
Tsiang told the delegates that the initiatives of the GEF-SGP complement government efforts to ensure sustainable environmental management in Botswana. She said almost all the projects funded by GEF fall within the mandate of her ministry. "However, skills necessary to effectively manage programmes are not yet readily available in the rural communities. We should therefore encourage GEF - SGP to target programmes geared towards capacity building."
She added that in the endeavour to manage the environment, HIV/AIDS should be factored in. She said efforts to save the environment would be in vain if the problem of HIV/AIDS is not addressed. "As much as it is necessary to have strategies in place to carry forward both the programme and projects in accordance with the GEF-SGP focal areas, efforts should be made to mainstream HIV/AIDS into the strategies," Tsiang said.
The workshop at the Big Five Lodge, Mogoditshane attracted many conservationists from all over the country. It is held under the theme 'building a common understanding between GEF-SGP and stakeholders for achieving sustainable environmental management'. It ends today.
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