How to Establish a Conservation Enterprise

Establishing a conservation enterprise, such as the new five-star Ngoma Safari Lodge in Botswana in the Kazungula Heartland, is no easy task. After conducting market analysis to assess the viability of a project and obtaining financial assistance from the U.S. African Development Foundation, AWF worked hard on the ground to help shepherd Ngoma Lodge through to completion. Here were just some of the steps involved:

1. Obtain community buy-in. Wilfred Mufwambi, regional enterprise manager for Southern Africa at AWF, recalled how some community members initially rejected the idea of Ngoma Lodge. “We had to tell them it was possible,” he said. “We explained to them, ‘You have wildlife here, and you need to benefit from it. Tourism offers a great opportunity, with the rich biodiversity you boast of.”


2. Strengthen community governance structures. AWF supported CECT through capacity building in financial management and decision-making. AWF also actively participated in some trust meetings to impart skills in project development. This is yielding fruit, as CECT in growing as one of the premier community trusts in southern Africa.


3. Identify a private partner. Multiple private-sector partners expressed interest in helping to operate the lodge. AWF used the following criteria to find the best party: established experience in the tourism industry and niche experience in safari operations demonstrated commitment toward community development; and a level of contribution toward the project. After Muchenje Safaris was selected, AWF helped CECT develop a Memorandum of Understanding, leading to negotiations of the terms of the partnership.


4. Conduct ecological impact assessment. Before ground is broken at any construction site, an environmental impact assessment is performed to ensure the lodge at the selected site will not harm the habitat.


5. Construction. Of the steps involved in establishing the eco-friendly, communally beneficial Ngoma Lodge, actual construction took the least amount of time­—about 8 months!


6. Conduct ongoing training. Now that the lodge is open for business, it is attracting kudos from all around—including the president of Botswana. Even so, AWF’s work isn’t finished. “If we leave now, we are risking the project. We want to sustain this partnership and this project,” Mufwambi said, which means continuing to provide technical support and business training to the community. This entails working with key stakeholders, such as the Botswana Tourism Organization, Technical Advisory Committee, and other government institutions. Particularly for CECT training in Partnership Skills, Enterprise Management, Tourism and
   Eco-tourism was conducted in collaboration with BTO.