Determination of factors impacting the performance of the CBNRM programme in Botswana

Abstract

This research study seeks to determine which factors contribute to the performance of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme in Botswana. The Botswana Government initiated the CBNRM programme as a means of encouraging sustainable use of natural resources and eradicating poverty. Previous researchers have found that CBNRM projects are not performing at a level that they should be. Therefore this study sought to understand why that was the case. Literature review was carried out to determine what these factors were. The study focused on the performance of CBNRM programme at National level. It investigates the key factors perceived by the three key stakeholders (DWNP, DFRR, and BTB) involved in the programme at National level. A qualitative research approach was followed, in which interviews of seven representatives of key stakeholder organizations (primary data) and CBNRM documents (secondary data) were used as a means of obtaining the required information. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify any emergent themes or patterns developing from the selected participants and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to establish which CBNRM Programme Performance Criteria influence the performance of CBNRM projects in Botswana. The findings from the AHP Criteria Expert questionnaire found that CBNRM stakeholder factors were rated higher than other factors influencing CBNRM programme performance in Botswana. The majority of the respondents said the programme was performing fairly, although there areas which were thought to be lacking, such as the absence of a CBNRM ACT of Parliament, poor coordination and monitoring and a lack of benefits realization by communities. Furthermore, the study found that there was not much of big difference between the literature that was reviewed and the views of the respondents. The study however did not examine CBNRM programmes at District level (individual projects). It focused mainly on the factors influencing programme performance at National level.