♪ MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS, I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO.

WELCOME.

>>TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY DR. WAME HAMBIRA OF THE OKAVANGO RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, DR. HAMBIRA.

>>THANK YOU, DAVID.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU TO YOU TOO, KATIE.

>>THANK YOU, DR. HAMBIRA.

WE'D LOVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT BOTSWANA, ABOUT THE PEOPLE, THE ECONOMY, IF YOU CAN GIVE US A GENERAL OVERVIEW SO THAT OUR AUDIENCE CAN LEARN MORE.

>>YES.

BOTSWANA IS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.

WE IN THE SADC REGION, IF YOU KNOW THE SADC REGION.

IT'S A SMALL COUNTRY, PROBABLY THE SIZE OF FRANCE.

WE ARE STILL A DEVELOPING COUNTRY.

WE ARE CATEGORIZED AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY.

THE MAINSTAY OF OUR ECONOMY IS THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO NATURE-BASED TOURISM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

IT'S THE SECOND GDP EARNER, AND THEN WE ALSO DEPEND ON AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURING AND OTHER SECTORS.

SO, WE ARE ABOUT 2.3 MILLION AT THE MOMENT, SO IT'S NOT A BIG COUNTRY AT ALL.

>>TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>YES.

THE OKAVANGO RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS ONE OF THE RESEARCH ARMS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA.

WE ARE LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST REGION, ABOUT 1,000 KILOMETERS FROM THE CAPITAL CITY, GABORONE.

THE INSTITUTE WAS MAINLY INITIATED BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS OVER THE OKAVANGO DELTA.

OUR RESEARCH IS MAINLY ON WETLANDS.

WE DO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS.

WE DO WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.

WE DO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS, EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE WETLANDS.

BUT RECENTLY, WE'VE ALSO EXTENDED OUR RESEARCH INTO THE DRYLANDS AS WELL.

BUT INITIALLY, OUR MAIN FOCUS WAS ON WETLANDS, THE OKAVANGO DELTA BEING THE MAIN ONE.

>>THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YOU MENTIONED THE STATE OF TOURISM.

WHAT IS A BRIEF UPDATE ON HOW TOURISM IS DOING IN BOTSWANA AT THE MOMENT?

>>AT THE MOMENT, THE SECTOR IS VERY MUCH IMPACTED BECAUSE OF COVID-19 SINCE LAST YEAR MARCH WITH THE LOCKDOWNS.

OUR MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ARE NATURE-BASED, AND OUR VISITORS COME FROM ABROAD, MAINLY FROM THE UNITED STATES, FROM GERMANY, AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

SO, WITH THE CLOSING DOWN OF THE BORDERS, WE COULDN'T HAVE ANY MORE TOURISTS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC UP TILL NOW.

SO, THE IMPACT HAS BEEN VERY HUGE BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY'S ALMOST CLOSED NOW.

CAN I SAY SMES?

SMALL-MEDIUM ENTERPRISES, MOST OF THEM HAVE REALLY COLLAPSED BY NOW.

MAYBE THOSE THAT ARE STILL SURVIVING ARE THE BIGGER ONES, BUT THEY ARE ALSO STRUGGLING BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY...

EVEN THOUGH THESE RESTRICTIONS HAVE STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND WE'VE OPENED THE BORDERS, PEOPLE ARE STILL AFRAID OF TRAVELING ALL THE SAME.

SO, THE INDUSTRY HAS REALLY BEEN AFFECTED.

>>DR.

HAMBIRA, WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT HAVE DIRECTLY BEEN IMPACTED OR IMPACTED DIRECTLY BY THE PANDEMIC THAT BEFORE WERE MAYBE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT HELPED THE COMMUNITIES, THAT NOW MAYBE YOU HAVE NOTICED HAVE BEEN THE MOST IMPACTED?

>>UH-HUH (AFFIRMATIVE).

THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN BOTSWANA IS THE CORNERSTONE OF WHAT WE CALL THE CBNRM, COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.

SO, THIS IS WHERE COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY MAKE A LIVING OUT OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE FOUND IN THE ENVIRONS.

SO, WHEN TOURISTS COME, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE LEAD IN TERMS OF TAKING THEM ON BOAT CRUISES ON OTHER TOURISM-RATED ACTIVITIES.

SO, THERE'S NO INCOME NOW INTO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

SO, THAT MEANS THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE GOT NO LIVELIHOODS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS COMING INTO IN THE FORM OF INCOME.

SO, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING.

WE'VE ALSO SEEN BECAUSE MOST OF THE INDUSTRIES HAVE CLOSED DOWN, IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS.

SO, FAMILIES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE SECTOR HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL.

SO, IT'S A PROBLEM.

AND ALSO THIS INDUSTRY, MOST OF THESE COMPANIES, SOME OF THEM HAD LOANS AT THE BANKS.

THEY ARE STILL PAYING FOR THOSE LOANS, AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE INCOME TO PAY FOR THE LOANS.

SOME OF THEM ARE IN RENTED FACILITIES SO THEY DON'T HAVE INCOME TO PAY FOR THEIR RENT.

SO, IT'S JUST A WIDE VARIETY OF IMPACT.

>>WHAT KIND OF RELIEF HAS THE GOVERNMENT BEEN ABLE TO OFFER TO KEEP THE SECTOR ALIVE EVEN IF DIMINISHED FOR A TIME BEING SO WHEN COVID ENDS, IT'LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER?

ARE THERE GOING TO BE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES?

>>YEAH.

THE GOVERNMENT HAVE PUT IN PLACE A NUMBER OF MEASURES.

THERE'S THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN THAT HAS ALSO BEEN IN PLACE WHERE THESE COMPANIES ARE OFFERED LONG-TERM LOANS WHICH HAVE MINIMUM INTEREST SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO RESUSCITATE OR RESURRECT IF I CAN USE THAT WORD.

AND THEN ALSO OVER A PERIOD OF, I THINK ABOUT SIX MONTHS, THEY WERE GIVEN SOME SALARY RELIEF SO THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR STAFF.

BUT THAT WAS ONLY FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.

IT WAS THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, AND THEN IT WAS EXTENDED AGAIN WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS NOT RELENTING.

SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE IN PLACE.

ALSO, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO TRIED NOW TO START PROMOTING DOMESTIC TOURISM BECAUSE INITIALLY, WE WERE MOSTLY DEPENDENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET.

SO, NOW DOMESTIC TOURISM IS ALSO COMING UP.

SO, IT PROVIDES A BIT OF INCOME AS WELL, THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE AS MUCH AS WHEN WE GET THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS.

>>DR.

HAMBIRA, WE TALK ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT ALL OF THIS HAS HAD GLOBALLY.

SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTSWANA RIGHT NOW, AND I'D LIKE TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A HUMAN TOUCH ON YOUR RESEARCH.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC PART OF YOUR STUDIES THAT MAYBE YOU CAN BRING A STORY TO LIFE, A FAMILY, A BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT HAS STOOD OUT, THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THIS LOSS AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO BETTER THE SITUATION?

>>I THINK WHAT I'VE ALREADY SHARED IN A NUTSHELL GIVES A PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON, ON THE GROUND.

THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP BECAUSE THERE'S NO INCOME.

THE LODGES, ESPECIALLY THE SMALL-MEDIUM ONES, THEY ARE ALSO STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP THEIR OPERATIONS AS WELL AS TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES ON BOARD.

ALSO, OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT HAS TO DO WITH CBNRM OR COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

YOU WILL RECALL THAT AT SOME POINT, BOTSWANA HAD SUSPENDED HUNTING, BUT THEN IT WAS PUT IN PLACE AGAIN LAST YEAR, BUT IT COINCIDED WITH COVID.

SO, IT MEANS THAT THOSE COMPANIES THAT HAD JOINT VENTURES WITH THE LOCAL COMPANIES TO COME AND DO THE CONSUMPTIVE HUNTING HAVE ALSO NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WHICH MEANS THAT THE INCOME HAS ALSO BEEN LOST.

SO, THESE ARE WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

BECAUSE WITH THIS MONEY, THE COMMUNITIES ARE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN SCHOLARSHIPS.

THEY'RE ABLE TO BUILD HOUSES FOR THE DESTITUTE.

THEY ARE ABLE TO HELP THOSE WHO CANNOT BURY THEIR LOVED ONES.

THEY'RE ABLE TO ALSO USE THE MONEY ALSO TO CONSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL IN WHICH THEY DEPEND ON.

SO, WITH LOW INCOME, ALL THESE ARE COMPROMISED.

>>MUCH OF YOUR WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN ABOUT SUSTAINABLE TOURISM.

SO, WAS THE BOTSWANA MODEL WORKING BEFORE COVID HIT, AND WILL IT WORK AGAIN ONCE WE GET PAST COVID?

>>THE MODEL HAS BEEN HIGH IMPACT, LOW VOLUME.

THAT IS, WE ARE TARGETING, I COULD CALL IT THE WEALTHY MARKET.

BUT NOW, THE MODEL IS GOING TO SLIGHTLY CHANGE BECAUSE NOW WE'VE SEEN THAT THE DOMESTIC MARKET IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE GLOBAL SHOCKS, AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON.

SO, I THINK NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT ALL OUR EFFORTS ONLY ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET.

WE'LL ALSO DEVISE MEANS OF ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE DOMESTIC TOURISM IS UP AND RUNNING.

>>DR.

HAMBIRA, COULD YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT DOMESTIC TOURISM AND WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES PEOPLE TEND TO GO TO BOTSWANA TO DO?

SO, FIRST, IF YOU COULD FOCUS ON THE TOURISM IN YOUR OWN REGION AND THEN GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT WE COULD MAYBE BE ATTRACTED TO DOING THERE AND LEARN ABOUT THERE.

>>YEAH.

WHAT PEOPLE MOSTLY COME HERE TO SEE, WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET COME HERE TO SEE MOSTLY IS BECAUSE OUR LANDSCAPE IS STILL PRETTY MUCH PRISTINE.

IT'S VERY, VERY NATURAL.

IT HAS NOT BEEN CONTAMINATED IF I CAN USE THAT WORD.

SO, IT'S STILL IN THIS NATURAL FORM.

SO, THAT'S WHAT ATTRACTS OUR INTERNATIONAL MARKET BECAUSE THEY WILL FIND YOUR BIG FIVE.

THEY WILL FIND THE VEGETATION IS STILL INTACT.

THEY WILL FIND THE DELTA WHICH IS NOT POLLUTED.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN.

SO, THEY WILL BE DOING SCENIC FLIGHTS.

THEY WILL BE DOING WHAT IS CALLED SELF-DRIVES, ALSO GUIDED TOURS IN TERMS OF JUST GOING THROUGH THE PARKS.

WE HAVE THE CHOBE NATIONAL PARK.

WE HAVE THE MOREMI GAME RESERVE SO IT WOULD JUST BE GAME VIEWING, AND ALSO SEEING HOW THE LOCAL PEOPLE LIVE.

THEY WILL ALSO TAKE YOU THROUGH... WE HAVE A DUGOUT CANOE, WHICH WE CALL MOKORO.

SO, PEOPLE ENJOYING SUCH RIDES SO THERE WILL BE GUIDED TOURS THROUGH THAT AS WELL THROUGH THE DELTA.

SO, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY, THE FACT THAT OUR LANDSCAPE OR OUR HABITAT, THE NATURAL HABITAT IS STILL PRETTY MUCH INTACT.

SO, THE LOCAL MARKET HAS ALSO TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THAT BECAUSE THIS IS MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF BOTSWANA SO OTHER PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY HAD NOT SEEN SUCH BEAUTY, SO THEY WILL BE COMING FOR ALL THOSE THINGS.

THAT TOURISM, YOU NAME IT, IT'S ALL KIND OF NATURE-BASED TOURISM.

>>THE MONEY THAT'S COMING IN FROM TOURISM, YOU'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED HOW COMMUNITIES PLAY A ROLE IN PLANNING.

IS THE MONEY RECYCLED BACK INTO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS CONSERVATION EFFORTS?

SO, I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY ASKING IS WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO SUSTAINABILITY HERE IN THE MODEL?

>>YES, THAT'S THE MAIN FOCUS OF COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BECAUSE IF COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM THE NATURAL RESOURCES, THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES SO THEY WON'T BE INDISCRIMINATELY CUTTING DOWN TREES.

THEY WON'T BE ENGAGING IN WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING.

THEY WILL POLICE THEIR OWN NATURAL RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BENEFIT.

SO, THE COUNTRY BENEFITS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

SO, THE ECONOMY IS ABLE TO GROW WHILE THE GRASSROOTS ARE ALSO ABLE TO BENEFIT ON THE GROUND.

>>IS THERE SOME HESITATION THOUGH FROM SOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE TOURISM, BUT IS THERE SOME HESITATION BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, THAT PERHAPS TOURISM IS GOING TO DAMAGE THAT NATURAL HABITAT, OR DO YOU THINK THAT IDEOLOGY IS NOT THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE TOURISM HAS BEEN SO HELPFUL IN THE PAST?

>>I THINK BECAUSE THE COUNTRY FROM THE ONSET DID NOT REALLY ACCOMMODATE MASS TOURISM THAT HAS REALLY HELPED NOT TO HAVE SO MUCH IMPACT FROM TOURISM.

WE ARE NOT SAYING THERE'S NO IMPACT AS IN WASTE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IT IS VERY, VERY MUCH LIMITED AS COMPARED TO IF IT WAS JUST AN OPEN KIND OF THING, OPEN TO EVERYBODY, TO ANY KIND OF NUMBER.

SO, THE COUNTRY REALLY TRIED TO WORK WITHIN A CITY AND A CAPACITY SO THAT IT IS NOT EXCEEDED SO THAT EVERYTHING REMAINS AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE.

SO, WITH THAT, THE COMMUNITIES HAVE EMBRACED THAT BECAUSE THEY BENEFITED FROM THAT AS WELL.

I THINK THE ONLY PROBLEMS COME WHEN THE COMMUNITIES NOW START TO SEE THE BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING MAYBE DECLINING AS HAPPENED MAYBE WHEN THE HUNTING WAS SUSPENDED.

SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD MAYBE MAKE SOME COMMUNITIES OR SOME PEOPLE TO BE APPREHENSIVE, NOT TO APPRECIATE IT ANYMORE.

BUT IF IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITIES, EVERYBODY'S HAPPY.

>>WHAT KIND OF SAFETY MEASURES ARE IN PLACE IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN OR WORKING ON TOURISM BEING A PRIORITY?

DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE KIND OF SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR TOURISTS?

>>YES.

THERE ARE SOME SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO COME NOW, YOU HAVE TO COME WITH A VALID COVID RESULTS TEST, AND THE TEST HAS TO BE PCR, NOT THE RAPID ONE.

SO, IT HAS TO BE BEFORE YOU'RE ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTRY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE VALID RESULTS THAT SHOW THAT YOU ARE NEGATIVE.

AND THEN IN EVERY FACILITY ALSO, THERE ARE STRICT COVID PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE, PROVISION FOR YOU WASHING OF YOUR HANDS OR SANITIZATION.

ALSO, YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS BE PUTTING ON YOUR MASK.

YEAH, ALL THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE KNOW FOR COVID.

SO, EVEN WHEN WE ARE GOING FOR THOSE GAME DRIVES, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE YOUR MASK ON.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO SANITIZE YOUR HANDS AND SO ON.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE.

WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL INTER-ZONAL PERMITS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE COMING INTO THE NORTHWEST WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY THE DELTA AND SO ON, AND MAYBE YOU WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER REGION, TO THE TULI BLOCK, YOU WILL HAVE TO GET A PERMIT ALSO FOR THAT TO GO SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK IN CASE THERE'S THEN AN OUTBREAK SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO FOLLOW PEOPLE.

SO, THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF COMING.

THEY ARE SAFE TO COME.

>>I'D LIKE TO TURN A LITTLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH IS ANOTHER AREA OF YOUR EXPERTISE.

THE WORLD, OF COURSE, IS DEALING WITH THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT BOTSWANA SPECIFICALLY IS DOING IN REGARD TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THREATS POSED BY IT?

>>YEAH, BOTSWANA, LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES IS ALSO ALREADY SUFFERING FROM THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

ALREADY, WE HAVE HEAT WAVES THAT HAVE INCREASED IN FREQUENCY NOWADAYS.

THE DROUGHTS HAVE INCREASED IN INTENSITY AS WELL.

WE ARE A DRY COUNTRY, BUT IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING FLOODS.

ALSO TEMPERATURES, THERE'S STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT TEMPERATURES ARE INCREASING AND WE HAVE ERRATIC RAINFALLS ALSO.

SO, WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF THREATS THAT SHOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>SO, TO SHOW COMMITMENT, THE COUNTRY IS PARTY TO THE UNFCCC, THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE PARIS AGREEMENT.

ALSO, THE COUNTRY IS PART OF THE GLOBAL AGENDA, 2030 GLOBAL AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE STEPS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN TO SHOW COMMITMENT.

SOME OF THE THINGS ALSO THAT WE DO TO SHOW COMMITMENT TO COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE'S INCREASING RECOGNITION OF THE RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS SO BECAUSE WE NEED A LOT OF DATA IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH APPROPRIATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES.

WE NEED TO RESEARCH TO SEE HOW VULNERABLE THE ECONOMY IS, HOW VULNERABLE THE LIVELIHOODS ARE, HOW VULNERABLE IS THE NATURAL HABITAT ITSELF.

SO, ALL THOSE KINDS OF RESEARCH IS STARTING TO TAKE CENTER STAGE.

>>IN ADDITION, THE COUNTRY HAS ALSO RECENTLY DEVELOPED A CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY AND ACTION PLAN.

IT IS YET TO GO BEFORE PARLIAMENT, AT LEAST AS WE TALK NOW, IT HAS NOT GONE THROUGH PARLIAMENT, BUT THAT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO, THIS POLICY WILL NOW PAVE WAY TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE STRATEGIES IN PLACE FOR A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY.

THERE ARE STRATEGIES IN PLACE FOR NATIONAL ADAPTATION PLANS.

THERE ARE STRATEGIES IN PLACE JUST TO SEE THAT EVERYBODY'S PLAYING THEIR ROLE.

AS YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE IS CROSS-CUTTING.

IT DOESN'T ONLY AFFECT AGRICULTURE.

IT DOESN'T ONLY AFFECT TOURISM.

IT ALSO HAS AN IMPLICATION ON OUR WATER RESOURCES AS A WATER-SCARCE COUNTRY.

WE NEED TO BE ON OUR TOES.

>>WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ALREADY CHANGE, OR HAVE YOU SEEN ANY IMPACT DIRECTLY IN THE BOTSWANA AREA FROM CLIMATE CHANGE?

>>YES.

LIKE I SAID, THE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WE HAVE INCREASED TEMPERATURES OVER TIME.

THERE ARE PROJECTIONS ALSO FOR ERRATIC RAINFALLS.

OF LATE ALSO, WE'VE BEEN ALSO AFFECTED BY TROPICAL CYCLONES, BUT THANK GOD, BY THE TIME THEY REACH US, THEY'VE REDUCED IN INTENSITY, BUT THE FREQUENCY HAS NOW INCREASED.

SO, WITH THIS YEAR, WE HAVE...

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO CALL IT UNPRECEDENTED RAINFALL AMOUNTS, EVEN IN AREAS SUCH AS GHANZI OR THE KGALAGADI AREA WHICH IS VERY MUCH DRY.

THEY ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THE RAINS THAT THEY NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

SO, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS TO SHOW THAT INDEED THERE IS IMPACT IN CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND IN TIMES OF DROUGHTS, THERE'LL BE HIGH MORTALITY OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, WHICH ALSO IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE DEPENDENT ON AGRICULTURE, ALL THOSE THINGS.

THERE ARE STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT EVEN THE OKAVANGO DELTA, WHICH IS OUR MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTION, IS ALSO VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THE INFLOW IS VERY LOW.

IF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN, THEN THEY CAUSE SOME SHIFTS IN THE ANIMALS THAT ARE COMMON IN THE AREA.

SO, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE THE TOURISTS, THEY COME TO A PLACE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE SEEN THERE THAT THEY LIKE.

SO, IF THAT'S SOMETHING CEASES TO BE THERE, OBVIOUSLY, THEY WILL GO ELSEWHERE.

YEAH, SO WE NEED TO BE ON TOP OF OUR GAME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY ARE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>INDEED, A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT GLOBALLY.

BUT WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE ANIMALS REALLY IS SOMETHING OF MY INTEREST.

IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY THAT IS BEING DONE IN BOTSWANA ABOUT PROTECTING THE ANIMALS?

>>YES, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD CONSERVATION ON THE TOP OF OUR DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA.

CLOSE TO 40%, ABOUT 39 OR 37, CLOSE TO 40% OF THE COUNTRY IS PROTECTED, IS JUST PROTECTED AREA IN THE FORM OF GAME RESERVES, NATIONAL PARKS, YOU NAME IT.

SO, THAT SHOWS THE COMMITMENT OF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF CONSERVING THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, AND THEN A FEW FORESTS THAT WE HAVE, THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A FOREST THAT YOU WOULD FIND MAYBE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

BUT WE HAVE SHOWN COMMITMENT BECAUSE OF THAT.

WE HAVE ALMOST HALF THE COUNTRY AS PROTECTED AREA.

SO, WILDLIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA.

>>YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IN YOUR COMMENT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY WERE SOMETHING THAT WAS SHARED ACROSS THE SPECTRUM IN SOCIETY IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.

IS EVERYONE WILLING TO MAKE A SACRIFICE IN BOTSWANA?

AND I ONLY SAY THIS, COMING FROM UNITED STATES, SOME PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO IGNORE SOME OF THE SCIENCE ABOUT IT.

SOME PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED AT THE COSTS OF TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>YEAH, I THINK IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO AWARENESS.

IF WE HAVE PROPER STRATEGIES OF RAISING AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THEN PEOPLE WILL EMBRACE.

I THINK MOST OF THE RESISTANCE MAY COME OUT OF IGNORANCE OR OUT OF THE FACT THAT MAYBE NOT ENOUGH EDUCATION HAS NOT GONE OUT THERE.

BUT I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT AT THE MOMENT, EVERY FARMER HAS SEEN WHAT THE INCREASED TEMPERATURES ARE DOING TO THEIR CROP YIELDS, WHAT DROUGHTS ARE DOING TO ANIMAL MORTALITY.

IF SOMETHING HAS IMPACTED ON YOU DIRECTLY, THEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

SO, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO MAYBE IS TO INTENSIFY THE AWARENESS SO THAT THERE IS MORE BUY-IN.

WE HAVE MORE ACTORS BECAUSE IF WE ALL DO OUR PARTS HERE AND THERE, YOU CONSERVE THE WATER FOR JUST IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, IT CAN GO A LONG WAY.

>>WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, DR. HAMBIRA.

THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE TO END.

WE COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR WORK AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>>AND THANK YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.