SASSCAL leads community workshop on climate resilience and sustainable land management in Botswana

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), in collaboration with several research and government institutions, has conducted a five-day community engagement workshop in West Hanahai, Ghanzi District, Botswana, aimed at strengthening climate resilience and promoting sustainable land-use management.

The workshop brought together traditional leaders, councillors, farm managers, Village Development Committee members, government officials and researchers to address environmental challenges affecting community pastoral farms.

The initiative was organized in partnership with the Okavango Research Institute, the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Department of Forestry and Range Resources, the Department of Animal Production, and the Ghanzi District Council through its Department of Social and Community Development.

Discussions focused on key issues including climate change, overgrazing and bush encroachment, which continue to impact rangeland productivity and the livelihoods of communities dependent on livestock farming.

Participants received training in ecosystem mapping and rangeland assessment techniques designed to support evidence-based land management and conservation planning. The programme also included field visits to Tiisa Farm and West Hanahai Farm, where participants observed and discussed sustainable grazing practices, including the implementation of split-ranch grazing systems.

The workshop further facilitated the documentation of indigenous knowledge related to medicinal plants, contributing to efforts to preserve traditional ecological knowledge while supporting sustainable resource management.

Organizers indicated that the activities generated important baseline data that will help guide future interventions aimed at improving rangeland management and strengthening resilience to climate-related pressures.

Preliminary findings from the assessments revealed lower forage availability around watering points, providing valuable insights into grazing patterns and potential management measures needed to improve land productivity and ecosystem sustainability in the district.

The workshop forms part of broader efforts to support climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture and community-based natural resource management across southern Africa.