Overview : Natural resources management in the Kalahari landscape is characterized by competition and conflict between conservation goals, economic development and livelihoods. Home to large herds of angulates and iconic predators, the landscape was dominated by low-density wildlife with hunter-gatherer livelihoods until borehole farming enabled cattle ranching a few decades ago. The consequent rangeland degradation and ecosystem fragmentation threatens wildlife and economic development. Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) meant to support wildlife-based economic activities and secure migratory corridors linking the Kgalagadi Trans-Frontier Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve continue to be lost to livestock encroachment, due to delayed gazettement. Wildlife is under additional threat from poaching, wildlife poisoning and illegal wildlife trade (IWT). The recent ban on hunting has reduced benefits from Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) program which in the context of Botswana has largely been based on consumptive use (i.e. hunting) of wildlife, arguably reducing incentives for conservation. Stakeholders lack the planning tools, institutional coordination and operational capacities to balance competing needs and optimize environment, social and economic outcomes. In particular, there is limited planning capacity, institutional coordination and operational capacities to balance competing needs and optimize environment, social and economic outcomes. The project will remove these barriers using the following strategies: Coordinating capacity for combating wildlife crime/trafficking and enforcement of wildlife policies and regulations at district, national and international levels (Component 1); Incentives and systems for wildlife protection by communities increase financial returns from natural resources exploitation and reduce human wildlife conflicts, securing livelihoods and biodiversity in the Kalahari landscape (Component 2); Integrated landscape planning in the conservation areas and SLM practices in communal lands secure wildlife migratory corridors and increase productivity of rangelands respectively, reducing competition between land-uses and increasing ecosystem integrity of the Kalahari ecosystem (Component 3); and, Gender mainstreaming, knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation (Component 4). Under Component 2, the project aims to facilitate communities to implement locally relevant strategies for reducing Human Wildlife conflict (HWC)in conservation areas as well as in communal areas surrounding conservation areas. The strategies will be informed by research findings on the complexities of HWC especially the underlying factors that drive responses to depredation incidents. Based on the foregoing, UNDP is looking for reputable and experienced consultancy firms to undertake research into and identify locally relevant strategies for reducing human wildlife conflict and to facilitate their adoption by communities in Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts. The consultancy team will have to travel throughout Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Districts, to the villages in the project sites (KD 1, KD2, KD15 and BORAVAST area, GH10, GH11) to consult different stakeholders. |