COMMUNICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR THE

OKAVANGO DELTA MANAGEMENT PLAN

Drafted by Oliver Chapeyama

ENVIROPLAN (Pty) Ltd

P.O. Box 70079
Gaborone
Tel; +267-3972489
E-mail:[email protected]
 Table of Contents

List of Acronyms 3

1.0 Introduction and Background 4

2.0 Purpose of consultancy 6

3.0 Linkages with related initiatives 8

4.0 Definition of Communication 12

5.0 Stakeholder Analysis 12

6.0 Communication Framework 16

7.0 Resource Requirements 21

8.0 Proposed Workplan 28

9.0 References 29

Annexes 30

Annex 1 Issues and recommended actions and tools

Annex 2 Position Descriptions

Annex 3 List of stakeholders Consulted

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List of Acronyms

CEDA Citizen Empowerement and Development

Agency (Botswana)
CBNRM Community-based Natural Resources Management
CBO Community-based Organisation
DWA Department of Water Affairs (Namibia)
ERP Every River Has Its People
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
ESA European Space Agency
HOORC Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre
IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management
IUCN The Word Conservation Union
KCS Kalahari Conservation Society
NCSA National Conservation Strategy Agency
NGO Non-governmental Organisation
ODMP Okavango Delta Management Plan
OKACOM Okavango River RBasin Commission
SAP Strategic Action Plan
SADC Southern Africa Development Community
SME Small and Medium Scale Enterprise
TDA Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
UNDP/GEF United Nations Development
Programme/Global Environment Facility
VDC Village Development Committee
WERRD Water and Ecosystems in Regional Development

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

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1.1. Introduction

The Okavango River basin, located in the northern fringe of the Kalahari Desert, is
one of the largest river basins in Southern Africa and is shared by Angola, Namibia
and Botswana. The Okavango river is the fourth longest (approximately 1,100 km) in
the region flowing off the well-watered highlands of Huambo in Angola, is joined by
the Cuito before crossing the Caprivi Strip of Namibia and then dispersing its flow in
a great inland fan of channels and swampland, known as the Okavango Delta, in
Botswana.

The inland delta forms the core of the largest declared Ramsar site or “Wetland of
International Importance” under the International Convention for the Protection of
Wetlands. The site, which also includes the Kwando / Linyati river system, is located
entirely within Ngamiland District, in the north-west region of Botswana. This is a
semi arid area that experiences large variations in flooding on an annual basis, the
Delta being comprised of permanent, seasonal and intermittently flooded zones, as
well as from year to year, e.g. this year has seen the biggest flood since 1984. The
Delta holds a vitally important place in the ecological and cultural fabric of Botswana
as it provides a vast area of water and flooded grassland with good grazing and a
rich diversity of wildlife. Many people derive their livelihood from floodplain (molapo)
farming in the area while the delta is also economically valuable as it serves both as
a source of revenue from tourism, (mostly based on wildlife and natural scenic
beauty) and as a source of water for the district.

The Okavango is one of the few large rivers in the world that has so far remained
relatively pristine with minimal development and is regarded as one of the best-
preserved corners of wilderness left in the world. Its structure and functioning is
essentially dependent on the water and sediment that enter from upstream.

The upstream riparian state of Angola, is relatively water rich, while the downstream
riparian states of Namibia and Botswana are water poor. The development
approaches and directions taken by Angola will therefore determine future water
flows to Botswana and Namibia. With growing water demand in the basin states,
water sharing has become a major concern. Transboundary issues in land and
natural resource use, such as planned water and wetland management interventions,
make it necessary to include the surrounding countries in the Okavango Delta
planning process. It is therefore important for riparian countries to establish links
allowing for discussion and exchange of views and mutually beneficial cooperation in
order to achieve better management of shared water resources. The incorporation of
these regional considerations in project management will ensure that the ODMP
becomes fully responsive to SIDA’s desire to have the project address the regional
dimension of river basin management without which sustainability cannot be
guaranteed.

In order to ensure the conservation and wise use of the Okavango, the Government
of Botswana has embarked on a project to develop a management plan for the
Okavango Delta. The specific objective of the project is to develop a comprehensive,
integrated management plan for the conservation and sustainable use of the
Okavango Delta and surrounding areas.

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An integrated management plan for the Okavango Delta will need to deal with and
address the needs and interests of a large number of local, national, regional and
international stakeholders. A number of these needs and interests are of a potentially
conflicting nature (e.g. tourism and irrigated agriculture, wildlife and cattle
production). This applies at the local and national level within the Okavango Delta
itself but it is equally true of the upstream – downstream interactions in the whole
river basin and thus also at both the regional and international scale. Both Angola
and Namibia have, among other development aspirations, legitimate water resources
needs and interests. The potential effects of realizing such needs will have to be
balanced with the sustainable conservation and use of the resources in the
Okavango Delta within the boundaries of Botswana itself.

Detailed consultation and effective participation (e.g. in the decision making and
decision taking process), accompanied by effective communication and information
exchange at the local, national, regional, and international level, are therefore vital to
arrive at a balanced plan where all stakeholders find their interests rightfully
considered. It is within this context that the Government of Botswana has embarked
upon the development of a communications strategy as part of the ODMP
formulation process. This strategy will propose a methodology for implementing
Component 11 of the Okavango Delta Management Plan entitled “Dialogue,
Communication and Networking on the Okavango Delta Management Plan”. The
component is designed to deliver effective communication and information exchange
between the project and stakeholders, and among stakeholders themselves, at all
levels. This will be achieved by institutionalising communication and information
exchange within the project in order that the processes involved and the information
exchanged in development of the ODMP directly supports that development and
implementation of the ODMP and, through IUCN and SIDA, other similar plans and
projects worldwide. Information exchange and dissemination across the Okavango
basin will ensure that regional concerns are brought to bear on all actions taken to
manage the Delta in Botswana.

It is important to note that the current exercise will not produce a comprehensive
Communication Strategy under the ODMP. At best, the study will provide guidelines
for the development of a strategy and do the following:

• identify the major stakeholders to be addressed in a communications strategy;

• highlight the major issues to be addressed by such a strategy;
• recommend approaches and tools for use in communication; and
• give pointers to possible results that can be achieved through the
implementation of the strategy.

A comprehensive Communication Strategy for the ODMP will be developed by

the Communications Specialist to be engaged under the project.

2.0 Purpose of Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy was to design a Communication Strategy for

the ODMP initiative to fulfil the requirements of Component Number 7 of the
project. This purpose was later changed to require the formulation of a
Communication Framework instead.

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 Specific tasks that were conducted included the following:
a) Undertake comprehensive stakeholder analysis with the view of
identifying key target groups at local, national, regional and
international level for awareness raising, participation and learning.
b) Identify projects and institutions working on the Okavango River
Basin and other similar wetlands e.g. NHI/IUCN Sharing Water, EU
WERRD programme, UNDP/GEF Okavango Basin study, Every River
has its people etc in the OWMC and specially convened stakeholder
forums.
c) Develop effective communication mechanisms for engagement
of all identified target groups in the development and implementation of
ODMP.
d) Re-assessment of staff needs for the communication component.
e) Preparation of job descriptions for Communication Specialist
andRural Sociologist.
f) Assess and recommend strategic location of the Communication
Specialist.
g) Prepare a detailed work plan for the Communication Component.

2.1 Methodology
A variety of approaches and methods were used to collect data and design the
Communications Framework for the Okavango Delta Management Plan. Primary
methods used included desk studies for literature reviews, gleaning relevant
information from websites, stakeholder consultations, and review of Government of
Botswana and IUCN requirements for drafting position descriptions.

A number of stakeholders were consulted on a one-on-one interview basis while

others were contacted by telephone. The consultant had to resort to using workshops
as a means of reaching as many stakeholders as possible in the short timeframe
allowed for the task. Two workshops were held-one in Maun and one in Gaborone-
for this purpose. The workshops discussed the following questions as a way of
focusing data collection:

1. Identify major issues of concern to your group in the development of the

ODMP. Highlight those issues relating to communication.

2. What role do you see communication/information sharing playing in advancing

your issues as the ODMP is developed?

3. What Communication tool best suits your needs?

4. How can your sector contribute to the development of the ODMP

communications strategy?
A list of stakeholders consulted during the consultations is attached as Annex 2.

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The process of developing the Communications Framework was affected by a
number of limitations. Primary among these were the limited financial resources and
timeframe allocated to the effort which limited the extent to which the consultant
could consult stakeholdes in the three riparian countries. These limitations resulted in
limited consultations being held only in Botswana. The consultant could also not
travel to Angola and Namibia due to lack of resources.

Although the assignment was originally intended to produce a communications

Strategy for the ODMP, it was realized after the production of the draft report that it
would not be possible to produce a comprehensive strategy in the timeframe
allocated to the task. On the suggestion of SIDA it was decided to change the focus
of the consultancy to instead produce a Communication Framework that would be
used to guide the formulation of a comprehensive Strategy by the Communication
Specialist after he/she is engaged.

2.2 Goal and Rationale of the ODMP Communications Framework

2.2.1 Overall Goal

The overall goal of the ODMP Communication Strategy is the promotion of effective
communication, dialogue and information exchange between the project and local,
national, regional and international stakeholders, among the various project
components and among the various stakeholders themselves. The strategy has
three specific objectives as follows:

a) Raising awareness and disseminating project information;

b) Supporting project internal learning and development;
c) Promoting shared learning with other projects and institutions. In doing so, it
is hoped it will lead to greater awareness, understanding and contribution
(participation) of multi-level stakeholders to the ODMP planning process.

2.2.2 Rationale

Empowerment of stakeholders to take decisions on issues that affect them requires

that they are fully able to understand these issues through access to relevant
information, communication, dialogue (all presented or available in an
understandable format, language, etc.) and networking between and among
themselves and other stakeholder groups as well as to be involved in undertaking
environmental programmes themselves.(Adapted from “Okavango Delta
Management Plan: Component 11, Dialogue, communication and networking on the
Okavango Delta Management Plan”). Since local people constantly utilize the
natural resources in and around their communities, they are better placed to voice
their choices and suggestions on resource use and management that better meet
their current and future aspirations. It is from these choices and suggestions that
national policy options can be developed to achieve a holistic approach to
sustainable use and management of natural resources and avoid antagonism
between the governors and the governed.

A major impediment to broadening participation in the making of appropriate

decisions is the lack of appropriate information tools and communication
mechanisms for the different stakeholder groups. Communication allows for
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dissemination of information, sharing of ideas, lessons learnt and best practices and
receiving feedback on the relevance and impact of the disseminated information.

The Okavango River, as it flows from its source to the Delta and beyond, sustains
socio-economic and environmental systems and biodiversity, e.g. the river’s
associated wetlands provide livelihood options for various stakeholder groups and
important habitats for wildlife and migratory birds. The wetlands also play an
important role as natural reservoirs for storing and regulating river flows and
recharging groundwater aquifers. The actions of one stakeholder group within this
system will therefore impact on other stakeholders. Local users and beneficiaries of
the Delta resources therefore have a lot to learn and share with other communities
both within and across political boundaries.

With an appropriate communication programme for the ODMP, key stakeholders,

including those that represent upstream interests in the river basin, will share the
knowledge about the functioning of the Okavango Delta ecosystem and its
importance for the different resource users thereby assisting in the development of
the ODMP. They will understand and agree upon the strategic choices underlying the
conservation and wise use of the Delta as reflected in the management plan.

3.0 Linkages with related Initiatives

It must also be highlighted that through the ODMP, the Government of Botswana is
undertaking groundbreaking work in the international arena. The Okavango is
the largest Ramsar site in the world thus the process, experiences and lessons
learnt during development and implementation of the management plan will be
of interest to the international community. At the local level ODMP is already
working closely with, or actively seeking to build contacts with other relevant
and related projects in the Okavango Delta and the wider Okavango River
Basin. Some of the other Okavango projects and programmes are outlined
below:

Environmental Protection and Sustainable Management of the Okavango River Basin

and Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission (OKACOM) initiatives

The long-term goal of this project is to protect the ecological integrity of the basin. It
is funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global
Environmental Fund (GEF) and coordinated by OKACOM and will entail completion
of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and formulation of a Strategic Action
Programme (SAP).

At a regional level the planned river basin management planning activities of

OKACOM, and the tri-partite commission comprising government officers from
Angola, Namibia and Botswana charged with overseeing development of the river
basin, are crucial. The ODMP Project Proposal states that development of the
Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP) would be expected to provide input into
the overall management of the Okavango River Basin. Close cooperation with all the
OKACOM countries and OKACOM structures on the development of the
management plan is vital for its success.

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Sharing Water

This was an initiative that recognised the complexity of the Okavango/Cubango Basin
in terms of its international status, its cultural and economic diversity, its ecological
importance, the expectations and possible pressures on the system to support local
and national development and the uncertainties associated with future management
of a highly variable system. Sharing Water offers a platform, called collaborative
learning, for collective resource inquiry and for negotiation about sharing water and
related ecological resources. This approach was designed to build the commitment
and knowledge base needed to manage ecological complexity and uncertainty. The
data collected under this initiative will therefore be useful in ODMP planning
processes as it increases the levels of understanding of the flow characteristics of
the river system. The data will also facilitate decision-making processes relating to
resource allocation across the basin.

WERRD

The Water and Ecosystem in Regional Development: balancing societal needs and
natural resources systems sustainability in international river basins (WERRD)
project is designed to:
a) improve and develop scientific methods that will facilitate the monitoring
of fluctuations of hydrological and ecosystem variables of the Okavango
River Basin
b) articulate local knowledge and relate this to other dimensions of knowledge
c) link the components of the natural resource system to the socio-
economic dynamics and to national and international policy

All these will contribute to the development and implementation of an all inclusive
ODMP planning process that incorporates resource dynamics, indigenous
knowledge systems and social and economic principles.

TwinBas

The Twinning European and third world countries river basins for development of
integrated water resources management methods (TwinBas) project is a European
Union funded research project with the goal of knowledge brought to a level where
integrated water resources management (IWRM) can be implemented for five
twinned river basins around the world, including the Okavango River Basin.
In addition to institutionalising the principles of IWRM into basin-wide planning
processes, this project will also facilitate learning and information exchanges
among the five target river basins.

Leseding Project

This is an initiative from the University of the Free State, South Africa conducting
research focusing on fish ecology and the sustainability of livelihoods of Ngamiland
people. Since the livelihoods of the majority of the community groups in Ngamiland
9
depend upon the exploitation of the resources in and around the delta, the Leseding
Project is expected to provide critical information on the resources found in the delta.
Decisions affecting levels of resource off take in the delta will be based on the
information generated by this project. The Government of Botswana is also working
towards establishing carrying capacity levels of the resources in the subject area.
The results of this project will be useful input into this planning consideration.

TIGER Partnership

This is a partnership between the European Space Agency, the Federal Institute of
Technology Zurich and DWA aimed at establishing a monitoring programme for the
Okavango Delta based on remote sensing. This project will assist with provision of
data on the changes in the delta resources which will be a useful input into on-going
ODMP planning and project implementation activities.

Proposed hydropower scheme at Poppa Falls

The Namibian government is currently investigating the possibility of constructing a
hydro-electric power generation scheme at Popa Falls on the Okavango River
just upstream of the Delta. A pre-environmental appraisal has been completed
for Namibia’s proposal to develop a hydro-power scheme at Popa Falls and a
full EIA has now been commissioned. The sustainability of the Delta
ecosystem depends to a large extent on what happens in the upper reaches
of the basin. The findings of the EIA will provide information regarding the
extent to which stream flows will be affected by this project. Extrapolations can
then be made as to the extent to which the ecological processes in the delta
will be affected by the projected changes in stream flows.

The Every River has its People Project (ERP)

The Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS) in Botswana, the Namibia Nature

Foundation in Namibia and ACADIR in Angola, have been running a community
engagement and awareness raising project for communities, called the “Every River
Has Its People project” (ERP). This has been operating in communities based in and
around the Delta in Botswana, as well as along the river in Namibia. In Angola,
community involvement in ERP brings in community groups over a much wider
geographic spread in the upper reaches of the river system.. The three organisations
have undertaken consultations and studies in each country and the next step is to
ensure that people are fully informed and consulted about future developments in the
river basin. The activities outlined in the ODMP project proposal in many instances
came from information collected by the ERP. ODMP and the ERP have already
begun a collaborative and cooperative approach to their communication and
consultation efforts, especially concerning aspirations of the communities. Staff from
the ERP and ODMP worked closely together during community consultation carried
out during this Inception Phase and the ERP benefited from Kgotla meetings
organised by ODMP through widening their base of participation in the project’s
“Basinwide Forum” by recruitment of one or two people from each village. The
Basinwide Forum interacts with OKACOM, a process that has facilitated the
completion of the loop including communities, NGOs and government.

• Government Initiatives

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The Government of Botswana is also undertaking various developmental activities in
the project area ranging from the efforts of local authorities (land allocation, primary
education, primary health care, community development etc.) to the activities of
devolved central government institutions such as protected areas’ management,
community based natural resource management (CBNRM), road construction,
agricultural development and promotion of small and medium enterprises often
through the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA). All of these
interventions have a bearing on the management of the Okavango Delta and
although not directly part of the ODMP project structure must be taken into account
as the project undertakes planning and programming activities. In order to facilitate
this, the ODMP Secretariat has contacted all local authorities and institutions in the
district as well as central government institutions devolved to district level to highlight
the existence of the ODMP and ensure joint working and decision-making wherever
possible.

Probably the single most important and relevant of these activities to the ODMP will
be the activities and developments outlined in the recently completed Ngamiland
District Settlement Strategy which goes well beyond just addressing purely
settlement related matters. The secretariat and some of the project partners have
provided input to the Report of Survey (July 2003) and the Draft Report (January
2004) thereby allowing the NDSS to be influenced by the ODMP and making the
ODMP secretariat aware of the recommendations coming out of it. The ODMP can
therefore be planned with these in mind ensuring effective delivery and reducing the
possibility either of duplication of work or leaving of gaps.

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4.0 Definition of Communication

Communication is the passing of news or information from one to another. It can be

used in a variety of ways to achieve various goals. In the context of the ODMP,
communication refers to activities aimed at facilitating information exchange between
the project and stakeholders, and among stakeholders themselves in the process of
developing and implementing the project.

Communication can be used to raise awareness about an activity or programme, to

educate stakeholders about the major features of a programme and to promote
learning through training and participation by all stakeholders. Unlike information
dissemination, communication provides for feedback and dialogue, which generate
knowledge upon which decisions are made.

5.0 Stakeholder Analysis

As stated in the introduction to this document, the Okavango Delta is the largest
RAMSAR wetland site in the world. Together with the associated Okavango river the
system traverses three countries and various ecosystem types. Because of this, the
system has international significance as a unique ecological feature. The Okavango
delta provides the basis of sustenance and economic activity for a variety of
stakeholder groups. These attributes largely define the range of stakeholders that
have an interest in the sustainable management of the ecosystem as well as the
issues of concern to such groups. On a basin-wide scale, there are other stakeholder
interests that may be different from those found in the delta and its environs. These
will need to be identified and pursued as the ODMP Communications Strategy is
developed and implemented in tandem with initiatives being developed in other parts
of the Okavango river basin. Of particular importance in this regard are the UNDP-
GEF Okavango River basin project, the ERP project and the OKACOM initiated
activities across the basin.

The analysis of stakeholders carried out as part of the process of formulating this
framework for communication identified the following categories of stakeholders:

a) Primary Stakeholders:

These are those stakeholders that directly depend on the water and natural
resources of the delta for their subsistence needs. They include community groups in
and around the delta. An estimated 120,000 people reside in the delta and its
environs. This stakeholder group is inextricably bound to the delta and its resources
and possess intimate knowledge about the dynamics of the delta that had hitherto
remained untapped for incorporation into management planning processes until the
introduction of projects such as the Every River Has Its People. These initiatives
have raised the need for considering community interests, in their broadest form,
including gender and youth interests, in project design and management. The ODMP
processes will need to incorporate the interests of these groups to ensure that they
do not continue along development paths that are considered to be unsustainable.

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b) Secondary Stakeholders

Secondary stakeholders were defined as those groups that depend on the delta and
its resources for business purposes. For purposes of the development of this
framework this group includes commercial tour operators who run the burgeoning
tourism industry in the Okavango Delta, In defining this category of stakeholders it
was noted that through the CBNRM initiatives that have been implemented in
Botswana and Namibia over the past fifteen years, some community groups have
also entered this category of stakeholders as they have established business entities
based on the delta and its resources.

c) Tertiary Stakeholders

This group of stakeholders includes the representatives of independent as well as

government entities that have management responsibilities for the Delta and its
resources. These include those based in the project area itself as well as those
based in Gaborone. The primary responsibility of this category of stakeholders is the
provision of services to both the primary and secondary stakeholders. Non-
governmental organisations working with communities on specific attributes of the
Delta and research institutions such as the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research
Center (HOORC) are also included in this category.

Also included in this category of stakeholders are educational institutions that are
working to improve the understanding of the delta and its dynamics among students
in the area.

d) Policy makers

Another distinct category of stakeholders identified during the consultation process

leading to the formulation of this framework was that of policy makers at various
levels. At the project or district level this category is represented by elected local
authority representatives who are charged with the responsibility to interpret
government policy and direct the implementation of these policies through projects
and programmes. Policy makers at national level include legislators who formulate
national development policies. These policies also feed into regional (trans-national)
policies through regional integration mechanisms such as OKACOM and SADC.

e) International Stakeholders

The Okavango Delta is an internationally significant wetland system. This has

resulted in the three countries that are riparian to the delta engaging in a basin wide
management programme through the OKACOM processes. The delta has also been
designated a RAMSAR site by the Government of Botswana. Due to this designation,
a fourth and critical stakeholder group representing international conservation
interests also has interests in the conservation and ecological integrity of the delta.
Primary among these are organisations such as IUCN with its Water and Nature
Initiative, the Commission on Ecosystems Management, the Commission on
Education and Communication and the Commission on Protected Areas.
International donor organisations that are supporting programmes aimed at
improving the management of the site are also important stakeholders. Among these
are Swedish International Development Agency, the United States Agency for
13
International Development and the United Nations Development Programme.

Tourists that visit the Okavango Delta are an important class of international
stakeholder. New management plans for the Okavango Delta will have an impact on
the tourism product offered in and around the Delta. If any new plans are
implemented in the delta, Government at both national and local level will assume
overall responsibility for ensuring that tourists and tour operators are informed about
any new initiatives arising from the ODMP. Tour operators will also be encouraged to
incorporate any information emanating from planning processes that might be
relevant to tourists and other visitors in their marketing packages.

The stakeholder categories identified above are of necessity generic and are based
on clustering stakeholders with similar information needs. In developing the
comprehensive Communication Strategy, it may be necessary to review this
classification of stakeholders with a view to identifying specific groupings with special
communication needs. In doing this however there will be need to incorporate the
need for cross-sectoral communication.

5.1 Issues related to Communication Identified by Stakeholder Groups

a) Primary Stakeholders

The primary stakeholders consulted identified the following issues as requiring

attention in the formulation of a communications strategy for the ODMP:

• Community groups would like to be consulted by project proponents at all

stages of programme development. This consultation should involve all
stakeholders on an equal footing;
• There were inadequate feedback mechanisms to community groups in the
consultation process. This resulted in communities being unsure as to whether
their interests were taken on board in project design;
• There is usually little coordination among different government and NGO
entities working on programmes with communities resulting in duplication of
effort and too frequent calls on the time of community groups;
• Community representatives that attend workshops often fail to disseminate
information to the broader mass of stakeholders in their constituencies due to
limitations in transport and the lack of other means of communication at local
level;
• Communities generally lack the capacity (technical) for gathering information
and disseminating it. Illiteracy levels in Ngamiland are of the order of 30%,
which is one of the highest in the country. This situation requires the design
and use of appropriate communication tools to reach these stakeholders as
conventional methods will not yield the desired results;
• Community groups are not homogenous entities. They are made up of
discrete interest groups each with its own valuable knowledge of the dynamics
of the Delta. This traditional knowledge needs to be marshaled and used in
developing plans for the sustainable management of the Delta;
• Project and government personnel use technical language in communicating
with community groups. Such language is not easily understood by community
groups;

14
 • Lack of gender sensitivity in communication means that disadvantaged groups
(e.g. women) are left out of development planning processes;

b) Secondary Stakeholders

The secondary stakeholders consulted raised the following issues:

• Poor coordination among service providers. Service providers are usually

concerned with delivering on their institutional mandates and pay little
attention to the need to coordinate with others in the field;

• Lack of information networks on projects e.g. data bases not linked;

• Resource limitations among service providers. Budget and personnel

allocations to most service providers are usually limited while manpower
deployed to the field usually lacks appropriate skills;
• High levels of bureaucracy and the tendency among government entities to
hold on to information also militate against effective service delivery;

c) Tertiary Stakeholders

The tertiary stakeholders consulted raised the following issues for consideration in
the formulation of the communications strategy:

• Poor communication among government departments due to “stove-piped”

reporting structures;
• Poor communication within government institutions. Field levels needs are
not usually reflected in management decisions at national level;
• Sector based-planning resulting in uncoordinated approaches to
development problems of the district. The major problem with this is that
communities end up receiving sector-based information on these problems
instead of consolidated information that they can use to effectively plan their
interventions;
• Poor financial and human resource allocation to government institutions that
affect their capacity to deliver;
• Too frequent staff changes due to transfers affect continuity;

• NGO priorities are not always coincident with those of government and
community groups. These varying interests result in uncoordinated
information being delivered to intended beneficiaries;
• Language barriers as some technical information is difficult to translate into
language other stakeholders such as community groups can understand;
• The need to keep some information outside the public domain means that
government entities are unable to provide some information that may be
relevant to development planning;

d) Policy Makers

Policy makers were separated from tertiary stakeholders as their roles and functions
were considered to be different. Policy makers create the policy environment within
15
which all other stakeholders, including the tertiary category, operate. The few policy
makers that were consulted raised the following as issues that need to be taken into
account as the Communication Strategy is developed:

• Uncoordinated and slow service provision by government entities and NGOs

distorts the message to be sent to project beneficiaries;
• Inadequate resource allocation to service providers results in some service
providers placing information dissemination very low in their list of priorities;
• Lack of standardization of information and data across jurisdictional
boundaries, especially international borders;

e) International Stakeholders

International stakeholders consulted raised the following issues:

• The need to ensure adequate linkages of the ODMP processes to other

regional initiatives that are on-going in the Okavango basin;
• The need to ensure that the ODMP communications strategy is linked into
international initiatives such as the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative.

6.0 The Framework for a Communication Strategy

A communications strategy illustrates the way an organization or programme aims to

package and disseminate information to concerned groups of stakeholders so as to
achieve the following objectives:

• Improve the state of knowledge about issues among stakeholders;

• Influence the attitudes of stakeholders to major issues; and

• Influence the practices of stakeholders.

In developing the strategy, the Communications Specialist will need to demonstrate

how the actions they propose will shape the knowledge, attitudes and practices of
principal stakeholders in line with the development of the ODMP. This action is
indicative of the fact that communication will be a component of this project in both
the planning and implementation phases.

It is also important to identify the target groups to be addressed, and the approaches
and tools of communication to be used. This is particularly important as it determines
whether the right audience is being reached with the right messages. Reaching the
wrong people with the right message or the right people with the wrong message
results in communication not having any effect.

The vast size of the Ramsar site, and the whole Okavango River basin that is also
the target of the ODMP communication strategy and the unique difficulties in physical
and remote (radio, telephone, email, internet etc.) access, present enormous
challenges in the formulation of an effective communication strategy. In view of this,
it is important that the formulation of a communication strategy takes into account the
16
presence of on-going activities that can be used as building blocks for effective
communication. Strategic partnerships will need to be developed between the ODMP
and other projects in the Okavango basin to achieve maximum outreach and impact.
Cases in point include the Every River project and the UNNP-GEF Okavango River
Basin project. These two projects will help with the mobilization of stakeholders
across the basin for involvement in project activities.

In proposing a framework for a communications strategy for the ODMP it is noted

that communication takes place at various levels. In addition, each of the stakeholder
groups identified within the ODMP project context has issues that are associated with
it. The resolution of these issues requires the identification of specific actions to be
undertaken and the use of different communication approaches and tools.

The Communication Framework for the ODMP will have the following elements;

• Communication between the ODMP project and stakeholders at local primary

stakeholder level;
• Communication among planning stakeholders within the project site;
• Communication among the various components of the ODMP;
• Communicating project experiences to decision and policy makers;
• Communication between ODMP and other projects in the basin;
• Communication with International Initiatives;

Each of these elements is discussed below with recommendations made regarding

approaches and tools that can be used to operationalise each element. These
recommendations are synthesized from the list provided in Annex 1 to this
Communication Framework.

a) Communication between the ODMP project and stakeholders at local primary

stakeholder level.

Community groups in the delta and surrounding areas depend upon the delta for
their livelihoods. They draw primary resources such as fish, timber and other
resources from the delta. The Delta, as a source of livelihood, is increasingly coming
under pressure from commercial activities related to tourism. As the ODMP is
developed, it will be important to ensure that the implications of activities emanating
from this major initiative are communicated to community groups. Community
interests also need to be factored into the plan.

Most community groups highlighted limited consultation, lack of feedback on issues

of concern to them and the use of inappropriate language by project proponents as
major communication issues. Ways of improving consultations with this category of
stakeholder will therefore need to be identified. Government has established
structures such as VDC, CBOs and traditional authorities to facilitate increased flow
of information to community groups. The local traditional administration has also
established the kgotla as a system of communication. All these structures will be
useful in disseminating information on the ODMP processes among community
groups in the project area.

It has been highlighted that community groups are not homogenous entities. There
are special interest groups such as basket weavers associations, pollers associations
17
and fishermen’s groups that have special information needs and require the use of
specific communication approaches. It is important that these factors are taken into
consideration in designing a communication strategy for the ODMP.

The proposed communication strategy will need to identify appropriate tools for
communicating the message with this category of stakeholders. An important
consideration in designing a communications strategy for the ODMP project site is
the low literacy levels amongst the gateway community groups to the Delta. The use
of written material to communicate programme matters under these circumstances
would therefore have limited impact. Useful experiences with communication have
been gained through the ERP project which has established systems that can be
used to promote community level communication both at project level and at river
basin level. In addition, peer learning through participatory planning and role- playing
should also be considered as it can play an important and useful role in this situation.
Peer exchange visits could also be considered as an effective means of
communication with community members visiting their peers in other parts of the
Okavango Basin and elsewhere where similar programmes are being implemented.

The use of radio should also be considered as a means of communication although

the utility of this means will need to be determined through an assessment of levels
of access to radio within the community.

The frequency of communication with community groups will depend on the issues
under consideration and should be determined by the Communications Specialist.

b) Communication among planning stakeholders within the project site.

Although the District Land Use Plan provides a framework for coordinated planning,
this does not necessarily occur in practice as the various institutions involved in
planning still operate as separate entities responsible to their respective head offices
in Gaborone. Little information is shared among these various institutions resulting in
uncoordinated planning. As the ODMP processes are developed, it will be necessary
to ensure that the needs and activities of the various stakeholders are made known
to other groups. To facilitate this, the project should encourage planning meetings,
disseminate summaries of planning documents, and consider the use of newsletters,
and pamphlets dealing with specific subject matter. Primary institutions that could be
used at this level include the Ngamiland District Council, the District Development
Committee, tribal administration and organizations representing commercial tour
operators in the delta and surrounding areas.

Monthly meetings could be scheduled to discuss specific issues while monthly

newsletters and quarterly magazines could be produced to facilitate communication
at this level.

c) Communication among the various components of the ODMP.

The ODMP is structured according to targeted components that in total add to a

comprehensive plan for the project. Lack of information sharing among these various
components could easily result in parallel programmes being developed with little
synergy. It is important that information flows among the various project components
are developed and maintained. Joint planning sessions across g components, e-mail
18
connectivity, introduction of an ODMP newsletter and press releases are possible
ways that can be used to promote communication among the various components. A
major problem that might be encountered is the limited access to such
communication means such as e-mail in some institutions. The ODMP Secretariat
will need to invest in e-mail connectivity within the various lead institutions to ensure
that this communication means is institutionalized to allow for optimal dissemination
of information. Problems have been experienced lately with telephone connections
at the ODMP Office in Maun. Government needs to facilitate the improvement of
telephone services to the various project offices to enable the project to
communicate effectively with stakeholders in and around the Delta.

In addition to cross-component information sharing, the ODMP provides a venue for

learning through the application of the ecosystems approach to wetland management
and planning. The project will also yield lessons in integrated natural resources
management and governance that will be valuable to similar projects that are being
implemented in other parts of the world.

d) Communicating project experiences to policy makers

The ODMP project will need to monitor the impacts of various policies on various
stakeholder groups and package the results for use in communicating with policy
makers and highlight policy changes and improvements that would promote
stakeholder interests. The objective of this would be to ensure that policies that
promote sustainable development are implemented in the delta. The project could
also organise workshops to increase policy makers' awareness and knowledge of
current planning processes in the Okavango Delta. Other tools that can be used with
this group of stakeholders include newsletters, magazines and field visits to project
sites.

Policy makers will range from councillors who operate at district level to
parliamentarians that represent the district at the national assembly level where
national policies are drawn up. It will be important that these various classes of policy
makers are provided with appropriate information on the planning processes being
used in the ODMP processes which they can use in the formulation of effective
policies. Such information could be obtained through research and monitoring
activities to track changes in ecological conditions in and around the delta. The
monitoring exercises to be implemented by the ODMP project team and technical
support institutions from the district will need to be done at periods to be defined by
the Communication Specialist over the project life.

e) Communication between ODMP and other projects in the basin

The range of projects and programmes being implemented in the Okavango Delta
and river basin that complement the work envisioned under the ODMP has been
highlighted elsewhere in this communication framework. There are areas where
activities and products under these projects overlap. These include the following:
• Development of databases;
• Collection of climate data;
• Basin and delta modeling;
• Capacity building;
• Creation of international river basin institutions
19
It is important that contacts among these projects are developed at professional level
and that information regarding each project’s area of activity is freely exchanged to
minimize duplication of effort and possible confusion of the already complicated
processes involved in the development of the management plans for the project site.
f) Communication with International Initiatives/Stakeholders

Due to the international significance of the Okavango Delta and its declaration as a
RAMSAR site, a lot of international attention is being paid to what happens with the
ecological integrity of the ecosystem. The RAMSAR Secretariat, the IUCN Water and
Nature Initiative, relevant IUCN Commissions and the secretariats of all the
biodiversity related UN Conventions have registered an interest in what will happen
as a result of the implementation of the ODMP. It is therefore imperative that the
ODMP communicates with all these initiatives to ensure dissemination of information
as well as to benefit from the experiences from other parts of the world where similar
programmes are being implemented. Communication at this level could also be
facilitated through sharing of progress reports between the ODMP and similar
initiatives from elsewhere, exchange of project staff and linkages among community
groups involved in these activities.

ODMP communication could also take advantage of Conference of the Parties (COP)
and Working/Technical Group meetings under the various biodiversity
convenventions. Appropriately packaged information on activities under the ODMP
could be disseminated at these meetings. This will also facilitate the dissemination of
lessons in integrated water resources management and governance.

Resource requirements

Human Resource Requirements

The operationalisation of the proposed Communications Strategy Framework will

require human and financial resources as well as equipment for use by all those
involved. A comprehensive budget for the component has been developed and
agreed with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

Although the NCSA has a cross-sectoral mandate, its capacities to develop an

effective communication programme covering all actors, both within and outside
Botswana, are limited. This is partly due to the relatively recent creation of the
Agency but is also related to the enormous amount of work involved in dealing with
and communication about environmental issues and their ramifications for all layers
of society.

A concerted effort is needed to enhance the capacity of the NCSA and all other
institutions involved in the project to address the issue of communication within the
ODMP as well as ensuring that community concerns are brought on board through
encouraging the participation of community groups in implementing communication
in the project area.

Currently, there is no clearly defined responsibility for communication under the

ODMP. The role is shared between the Project Coordinator, the Project Facilitator,
and the Chief Technical Advisor who already have other responsibilities. This
20
important component of the project needs to have dedicated attention. Although
there is a member of staff responsible for Public Education/Information on the staff
of the ODMP, this staff position handles information dissemination and outreach
programmes within the project site and does not extend to the national, regional and
international levels.

The communication aspects of the project require the engagement of a

Communications Specialist who will pay dedicated attention to this task. The
specialist will liaise closely with the Project Coordinator, the Public Education/
Information and Outreach Officer and the Participatory Planner all of whom are
based in Maun. He/she will also work closely with the Project Facilitator who is
based in Gaborone at the NCSA. An additional position of Rural Sociologist is also
proposed for the secretariat offices in Maun. Figure 1 below shows the proposed
reporting arrangements among these staff members.

21
7.2 Location of Project Staff

The ODMP is implemented through a partnership involving the Government of

Botswana, IUCN and the Government of Sweden. Each of these institutions has its
own goals which will be advanced by the communication processes implemented
under the project. A number of critical positions have already been created with
support from these principal stakeholders and deployed to either Gaborone or Maun.
Staff recruited under the Communication Component will also have to be located
where they will have maximum influence on the planning processes through
effective provision of information about the project to all stakeholders. The sections
below provide an assessment of the merits or demerits of locating the
Communication Specialist in either Maun or Gaborone.

In deciding the location of the Communications Specialist under the ODMP a critical
first step is to distinguish the role this position will play under the project from the
role of the Project Facilitator with whom the incumbent will work closely.

The Project Facilitator has primary responsibility for representing the ODMP within
the Botswana Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism and at the project
Steering Committee. At this level, the Facilitator ensures that the project is meeting
its targets through the inputs of all stakeholders. The Facilitator is also responsible
for liaison between the ODMP and other relevant initiatives that are ongoing in the
Okavango basin. At the international level, the Facilitator is responsible for
identifying and synthesising lessons from activities similar to the ODMP and bringing
these to bear on ODMP processes.

The Communication Specialist will work very closely with the Project Facilitator. The
incumbent will be responsible for collecting project level information and experiences
from implementation and packaging these for dissemination to various stakeholders.
As the specialist in communication, the specialist will possess an in-depth
knowledge of communication tools that can be used in various situations. In addition
to packaging project information and experiences, the Communication Specialist will
therefore be responsible for recommending appropriate tools to be used in
disseminating project information to the various project personnel.

Two schools of thought emerged among stakeholders interviewed regarding the

preferred location of the Communication Specialist. These were those that preferred
that the incumbent be located in Gaborone and those that preferred a Maun
location.

Those that preferred a Gaborone location gave the following reasons for their
preference:

• The Communication Specialist needs to communicate with senior level

personnel and institutions at national and international level and this would be
done more effectively from Gaborone;
• Locating the position in Gaborone would help maintain the profile of the
Communication Specialist and avoid the appearance of the incumbent as
project specific personnel therefore allowing them to liase with all stakeholder
groups;
22
 • ODMP is a Government of Botswana initiative and should be communicated
as such to outside agencies. The Communication Specialist should therefore
be located in Gaborone at the NCSA for this reason.

Stakeholders that preferred that the Communication Specialist be located in Maun

had the following reasons:
• This would co-locate the Specialist with other Project personnel and improve
the coordination of communication activities that are at the project coal-face;
• The Specialist will be able to effectively supervise the Rural Sociologist and
the Public Information and Education Officer both of whom are located in
Maun at the ODMP Secretariat;
• A Maun location would also help avoid possible confusion of roles between
the Project Facilitator and the Communication Specialist which would arise
with a Gaborone location;
• The Communication Specialist is responsible for collecting project information
and packaging it for dissemination. He/she is not necessarily responsible for
the process of dissemination, which is the primary role of the Project
Facilitator. A Maun location would place the officer close to project activities
and allow him/her to collect information as required;
• The Memorandum of Understanding between IUCN and the Government of
Botswana indicates that the Communication Specialist shall be located in the
Communication Unit to be based in Maun.

A third suggestion was that the Communication Specialist be placed with a project
implementing partner. This suggestion raises questions relating to protocol where
information on a government initiative cannot be handled and communicated
through an external agency.

A review and assessment of the above scenarios shows that the Communication
Specialist will need to work very closely with stakeholders in collecting and collating
communication data at the project level and communicate major milestones to as
wide a spectrum of stakeholders as possible from there. It is acknowledged that
there is a second and possibly higher level of communication involving participating
institutions in Gaborone and those in the broader Okavango river basin. The
responsibility for this level of communication rests with the Project Facilitator who is
already in position at the NCSA in Gaborone.

It is therefore recommended that the Communication Specialist be located with the

rest of the Secretariat in Maun from where it would be possible for him/her to
communicate with all categories of stakeholders. The Communication Specialist will
manage the Communications Unit under the project and report directly to the Project
Coordinator. He/she will also supervise the Rural Sociologist/Participatory Planner
and the Education and Outreach Officer. The Specialist will liaise closely with the
Project Facilitator to ensure that consistent messages about the project are sent out
to stakeholders at all levels., Locating the Communication Specialist in Maun will
also probably force the hand of decision makers to improve communication facilities
at the Secreatariat offices in Maun.

A Participatory Planning expert currently serves the project from HOORC. This staff
position has provided valuable input regarding community concerns in planning
processes in the project area. The ODMP project document proposes the position of
23
a Rural Sociologist to join the Communications Unit and work hand in hand with the
Communication Specialist. A review of the responsibilities of the Participatory
Planner, who should ideally be co-located with other project staff at ODMP, and the
roles envisioned for the Rural Sociologist point to considerable overlap between
these two positions. Project Management needs to consider the value added of
having these two positions serving the project. The initial recommendation is that
consideration be given to merging these two positions and have the holder of the
new position sit with the rest of the project staff at ODMP in Maun.

Draft Position Descriptions for the two positions are provided in Annex 1.

24
 Fig 1 Proposed reporting arrangements: Communications component staff

Executive Secretary
NCSA

Project Coordinator
Project Facilitator Chief Technical
Advisor

Communication Specialist

Rural Information and

Sociologist/Participatory Outreach officer
Planner

Key:
Direct Reporting

Liaison

25
7.3 Equipment and facilities

Communication among the various institutions involved in the ODMP is currently

hampered by the unreliability of telecommunications in Maun. Only the Chief
Technical Advisor was connected to an unreliable e-mail service in the ODMP office
at the time this consultancy started. Telephone services are also temperamental
with regular service disruptions.

The majority of institutions participating in the ODMP also did not have equipment
such as computers which made it impossible to get connected to the internet for
them to receive electronic mail.

Each institution in Maun reported back to their respective Head Quarters in

Gaborone and have budgets that are managed from their individual Head Quarters.
These budgets do not include allocations of resources and vehicles for use on
ODMP work. Where resources have been allocated to institutions to cover for this
shortcoming, there has been little effort made to draw down on these allocations by a
lot of the institutions. This situation will continue to hamper the participation of
institution of institutions in ODMP processes unless it is resolved urgently.

7.3 Financial Resources

Financial resource needs for the Communications Component of the ODMP have
been secured from the Swedish International Development Agency. A total of US$
720 000 has been secured. The table below summarises the budget agreed to
between the Government of Botswana, IUCN-ROSA and the funding organisation.

26
Table 1 Budget for the Communication component

Category Cost/Unit (USD) Duration/quantity Total Cost (USD)

Develop Communication Strategy 20 days 15 422

Communication specialist 7 000 per Mm 30 Mm 210 000

Rural sociologist 3 000 per Mm 30 Mm 90 000
International travel and DSA) 6 000 per year 3 years 18 000
Local travel (rent of boats, aircraft,
vehicles, per diem) 4 000 per year 3 12 000
Communications PR (incl.
Subcontracting to specialised agencies) 80 000
Vehicle 4x4 40 000 1 40 000
Vehicle running costs 5 000 per year 3 15 000
Training, workshops, seminars, 45 000 per year 3 135 000
conferences
Translation of documents (lump sum) 10 500 1 10 500
Engagement & communication with
basin stakeholders 10 000 per year 3 30 000
Administrative Overheads (10%) 64 050

Sub total 704 550

GRAND TOTAL (Inception stage and 719 972

main component)

The project budget was drawn up some two years ago. There will be need to revisit
some components of the budget to bring them into line with current cost levels.
Specific examples of budget line items that will need to be reviewed are international
and local travel and vehicle running costs.

It is also noted that the project is behind schedule requiring that the final budget be
developed when component staff are engaged.

27
 8.0 The ODMP Communication Strategy Workplan

It is expected that the ODMP activity will be implemented over a period of thirty-nine
months. The table below details a proposed work plan for the implementation of the
Communication Strategy for the project. The work plan is a very broad statement of
envisioned activities at this juncture and only provides very broad guidelines as to the
major activities to be implemented. It is difficult to provide details of the
communication plan and this will need to be drawn up by the Communication
Specialist team at the time of mobilising for implementing the strategy.

Figure 2. ODMP Proposed Communications Work Plan

Activity/Months 12 24 36

Recruit Communications
Staff
Develop Communication
Instruments (publications,
radio programmes etc)
Implement Components of
Communication Strategy in
Botswana
Implement Communication
Strategy in Basin
Review of impact of
Communication Startegy
Redefine Strategy

9.0 References

28
1. Hamu, Denise, Auchincioss, Elisabeth and Goldstein, Wendy (Eds) (2004);
Communicating Protected Areas;IUCN Commission on Education and
Communication.

2. IUCN –ROSA: Okavango Delta Management Plan: Component 11 Dialogue,

Communication and Networking on the Okavango Delta Management Plan.

3. Muthui V. (2004): Learning Lessons on Mainstreaming the Ecosystems Approach

to Natural Resources Management-Okavango Delta Management Plan Project.

4. National Conservation Strategy Agency (2003): ODMP proceedings of the Official

Launch.

5. National Conservation Strategy Agency: Okavango Delta Management Plan

Project Proposal.

6. UNDP-GEF (2003): Okavango Basin Project Document.

7. USAID/RCSA (2003): Integrated River Basin Management Strategy.

29
ANNEX 1:
ISSUES IDENTIFIED AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AND TOOLS FOR
COMMUNICATION

A. Communication between the ODMP project and stakeholders at local primary

stakeholder level:

This ODMP project is intended to produce a comprehensive plan that identifies and
articulates the interests of all groups within the project area including community
groups. Communication needs of community groups in Ngamiland are especially
unique given high levels of illiteracy among them.

1. Issue: Community groups are not adequately

consulted at all stages of programme development;
Desired Results: Improve knowledge about project activities among
communities;
Effective information dissemination;
Action Needed: Formulate appropriate communication systems
Appropriate Tools: Face to face contact, radio, drama/theater, kgotla
meetings.

2. Issue: There is inadequate attention to community

concerns and limited consultation with community groups
in project design.
Desired Results: Communities contribute to programme plans and
can report on progress with their implementation.
Action Needed: Institutionalise planning and reporting systems that
provide for feedback to communities on programme
decisions.
Appropriate Tools: Kgotla meetings; face-to-face briefing meetings,
participatory planning processes.

3. Issue: Community groups have serious technical

capacity limitations and can therefore not gather
information on projects and disseminate it.
Desired Result: Improved natural resources management practices
Action Needed: Implement training and capacity building
programmes at community level
Appropriate tools: Community mapping, peer exchanges

4. Issue: The language used in communicating with

communities is unsuitable especially when technical
information is being communicated.
Desired Results: Improved knowledge and awareness
Action needed: Use appropriate language and other media for
communication
Appropriate Tools: kgotla meetings; brochures

30
5. Issue: There is no gender sensitivity in
communication so disadvantaged groups (e.g. women)
are left out of the information loop.
Desired Result: Increased appreciation of roles of all stakeholders.
Action Needed: Identify and work through special interest groups
(e.g. basket weavers and youth groups)
Appropriate tools: Focus group meetings; targeted information
packages.

B. Communication among stakeholders within the project site: Such communication

could be between NGOs working on the ODMP and government entities or between
government entities and community groups.

1. Issue: Poor coordination among NGOs

Desired Result: Increased networking among stakeholders
Action Needed: Creation of networks, joint programme planning
Appropriate Tools: E-mail, information sharing, newsletters, magazines,
flyers, newspapers

2. Issue: Lack of information networks on projects

e.g. data bases not linked
Desired Results: Rationalised knowledge/information data bases
Action Needed: Information sharing, joint research,
Appropriate Tools: GIS, social and ecological surveys, joint policy review
programmes.

3. Issue: NGO priorities are not always coincident

with those of government and community groups
Desired Results: Aligned priorities in ODMP planning
Action Needed: Joint programme planning among stakeholders
Appropriate Tools: Planning meetings, public media.

4. Issue: Government entities are too bureaucratic

and hold on to information unnecessarily.
Desired Results: Improved information flow from government entities
Action Needed: Government publish unclassified information
Appropriate Tools: Use Government websites, Statistical Office documents

C. Communication among the various components of the ODMP: The project has
twelve components each with a distinct set of activities contributing to the realization
of the project objectives. It is imperative that information is shared among these
components to ensure rationalized achievement of the project objectives.

1.Issue: Need to coordinate planning across ODMP

components
Desired Result: Coordinated development plan
Action Needed: Promote information sharing; Promote joint
planning sessions across component boundaries
Appropriate Tools: E-mail, Planning meetings.

31
D. Communicating project experiences to decision and policy makers: This will
involve producing project and news briefs for the project Steering Committee, Senior
officials and policy makers in institutions working on the ODMP.

1. Issue: Poor packaging of information for decision

makers
Desired Result: Increased knowledge of programme elements
among policy makers
Action Needed: Programme to coordinate packaging of information
for policy and decision makers, Project Advocacy
programme
Appropriate Tools: Project briefs, Newsletters, brochures, Exchange visits
among projects.

2. Issue: Poor communication among and within

government departments
Desired Result: Improved planning capacity in government through
information sharing, and coordinated planning processes.
Action Needed: Promote joint planning of ODMP programme elements
Appropriate Tools: National and District Development Planning processes;
Comprehensive sectoral websites.

3. Issue: Too frequent staff changes

Desired Result: Institutionalisation of knowledge
Action Needed: Create comprehensive data-bases in Ministries
Appropriate Tools: Periodic reporting; Targeted Technical Assistance

E. Communication between ODMP and other projects in the basin: This level of
communication entails synthesis of best practices from the implementation of the
ODMP and disseminating these to other projects in the region and receipt of
experiences from these projects and incorporation of these into the ODMP
implementation processes. Communication in this context could include the hosting
and arrangement of high-level exchange visits.

1. Issue: Ensure development of adequate linkages of

the ODMP processes to other regional initiatives that are
on-going in the Okavango basin.
Desired Results: Effective information sharing among various
projects
Actions Needed: Encourage joint planning; Institutionalise
information sharing.
Appropriate Tools: E-mail, Newsletters, Sharing progress reports; Joint
planning meetings; staff secondments.

F. Communication with International Initiatives: This level of communication will

involve linkages between ODMP and international institutions such as the RAMSAR
32
Secretariat in Geneva, and initiatives such as the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative
and IW-Learn.

1. Issue: Ensure that the ODMP communications

strategy is linked into international initiatives such as the
IUCN Water and Nature Initiative
Desired Results: Increased learning; change in attitude to resources.
Actions Needed: Promote E-learning across projects;
Appropriate Tools: Newsletters, E-mail, use of websites;

G. Communication between the project and the funding organizations: This will
involve contributing to contractual progress reports and sharing of experiences
regarding project results.

33
Annex 2: Proposed Draft Position Descriptions

POSITION DESCRIPTION

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Introduction

In order to ensure the conservation and wise use of the Okavango, the Government
of Botswana has embarked on a project to develop a management plan for the
Okavango Delta. The overall objective of the Okavango Delta Management Plan is to
integrate resource management for the Okavango Delta that will ensure its long-term
conservation and that will provide benefits for the present and future well being of the
people, through sustainable use of its natural resources. The specific objective of the
project to develop the plan is to develop a comprehensive, integrated management
plan for the conservation and sustainable use of the Okavango Delta and
surrounding areas.

An integrated management plan for the Okavango Delta will need to deal with and
address the needs and interests of a large number of local, national, regional and
international stakeholders. A number of these needs and interests are of a potentially
conflicting nature (e.g. tourism and irrigated agriculture, wildlife and cattle production
etc.). This applies at the local and national level within the Okavango Delta itself and
is equally true with regards to the upstream – downstream interactions in the whole
river basin and thus also at both the regional and international scale. Both Angola
and Namibia have, among other aims, legitimate water resources needs and
interests and the potential and/or actual effects of realizing such needs will have to
be balanced with the sustainable conservation and use of the resources in the
Okavango Delta within the boundaries of Botswana itself.

Detailed consultation and effective participation (e.g. in the decision making and
decision taking process), accompanied by effective communication and information
exchange at the local, national, regional, and international level, are therefore vital to
arrive at a balanced plan where all stakeholders find their interests rightfully
considered.

The Government of Botswana is implementing this activity with technical support

from the World Conservation Union Regional Office for Southern Africa (IUCN-
ROSA) and financial support from SIDA The government seeks to engage a senior
level professional to serve as Communication Specialist under the Okavango Delta
Management Plan project. The Communication Specialist will perform the following
tasks.

• Manage communication needs between the ODMP project and stakeholders

at local primary/community stakeholder level. This will involve the packaging
of information in mediums that are suitable for dissemination at this level.
34
 Suggested media will include exchange visits, drama, posters, kgotla
meetings and other appropriate media;

• Promote and encourage communication and information sharing among the

various stakeholders within the project site. Stakeholders involved in the
project include government entities, community groups, private sector entities,
NGOs and planning authorities working on the ODMP;

• Manage the communication of project experiences to decision and policy

makers in Botswana, Angola and Namibia. This will involve the production of
project briefs for the project Steering Committee, Senior officials and policy
makers who have an influence on ODMP processes;

• Ensure effective communication between the ODMP and regional initiative

such as the basin-wide OKACOM initiative and similar initiatives in other
basins around the region;

• Synthesise best practices from the implementation of the ODMP and, in

collaboration with the Project Facilitator, disseminate these to other projects
in the region and receive similar experiences from these projects and
incorporate them into the ODMP implementation processes;

• Arrange and host high-level exchange visits to the ODMP project site;

• Communicate with International Initiatives and ensure that the ODMP

continues to contribute to such initiatives. Examples of such initiatives are the
RAMSAR programme of work, the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative and IW-
Learn programmes in the region;

• Manage communication between the project and the funding organizations

through contributing to the production of contractual progress reports.

The Communications Specialist will report to the Project Coordinator based at the
ODMP office in Maun and work closely with the Project Facilitator based in
Gaborone. In dealing with international stakeholders the Communication Specialist
will also liaise with the IUCN Botswana Country Programme Coordinator.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

RURAL SOCIOLOGIST
35
Introduction

(As above)

The Rural Sociologist will perform the following tasks:

• Coordinate the collection of socio-economic data within the project area. This
will include the conduct of periodic survey to establish indices for measuring
changes in socio-economic status of community groups;
• Coordinate the conducting of targeted surveys to establish potential for
investment in income generating projects by community groups. This task is to
be conducted in close collaboration with relevant Research Fellows at
HOORC;
• Design instruments for conducting participatory planning with communities
involved in the ODMP;
• Collaborate with the GIS Specialist at HOORC in the collection of community
level data for use in project planning processes;
• Coordinate community level social and economic research with similar
initiatives in other projects in the Okavango delta;
• Liaise with the Project Information and Outreach Officer to facilitate training
workshops for project level stakeholders;
• Design instruments for project Monitoring and Evaluation in close liaison with
the Project Coordinator;
• Assist the Communication Specialist in design and packaging of
communication strategies for the project;

The Rural Sociologist will report to the Project Coordinator based at the ODMP office
in Maun.

36
Annex 3. List of Stakeholders Consulted

MAUN WORKSHOP: Facilitator: O. Chapeyama

Name Position Organisation Telephone

B. Maphane Operations Manager People and Nature 6865129
O. Gaebope Senior Scientific Officer Animal Health and 6860236
Production
S. Modo Ag Chief technical Tsetse Control 6860236
Officer
K. Kemoreile Regional Forestry Forestry Division 6800060
Officer
M. Sekgopo Forestry Officer HOORC 3950687
O.T. Thakadu Research Fellow HOORC/CBNRM 6861833
Forum
S. I.R. Mongati Senior Physical Tawana Land Board 6860292
Planner
B. Maswabi Conservation Officer Agricultural Resources 6861133
Board
L. Sola Programme Director Conservation 6860017
International
C. Zuze Wildlife Officer Department of Wildlife 6860368
G. Otumile DWC Department of Wildlife 6860368
D. G. Kenetseng Admin Secretary Jakotsha CBO 6874929
K. Puthego Deputy Chair/Kgosi Basinwide Forum 6867001
Chanonga
T. Mmapatsi Senior Outreach Officer Every River Project 6862351
M. Selawe Outreach Officer Kalahari Conservation 6862351
Society
G. Kgetho Coordinator Okavango Pollers Trust 6876937
E. R. Mutebe Environmental health Environmental Health 6860241
Technician Departmnant
P. Motswadi Board of Trustees Tebelopele Community
Trust
N. Molele UB/HOORC UB 6861833
F. Rabolo Assistant Tourism Dept of Tourism 6860492
Officer
M. Morapedi Physical Planner NWDC 6860241
F. Kibakaya Principal Physical NWDC 6860241
Planner
R. Kelebemang Principal Officer-Lands District Administration 6860510
O. Ledimo Kgosi/Chief Tribal Administration 6960207
K.C. Tsima Facilitator TCHEKU/TOCADI 6875085
K. S. Tsima Chairperson BCCT 6860017
H. Bendsen Participatory Planner HOORC 6861833
C. Masalila GIS Provider HOORC 6861833
S. Motsumi Information Oficer ODMP 6801237
P. Segomelo Project Coordinator ODMP 6801237

37
GABORONE WORKSHOP: Facilitator; O. Chapeyama

Name Position Organisatio Address Telephone E-mail

n
M. Country IUCN P.Bag 3971584 [email protected]
Madzwamuse Programme Botswana 00300
Cordinator Gaborone
M. L. Nchunga Executive NCSA P/Bag 3902055 [email protected]
Secretary 0068 [email protected]
Gaborone
R. M. Chief_ Ministry of P/Bag 3950511 [email protected]
Kwerepe Forestry Agriculture 003
Rangeland Gaborone
Ecology
Neo Chief MFDP P/Bag 3950286 [email protected]
Gaetsewe Economist 008
Gaborone
T. G. Principal DWNP P.O. Box 3971405 [email protected]
Mmpelwa Scientific 131
Officer Gaborone
O. Dikgomo Senior DWA P/Bag002 3607342 [email protected]
Water 9
Engineer Gaborone
Arabang Principal NCSA P.Bag 3902050 [email protected]
Kanego Natural 0068
Resources Gaborone
Officer
D. Malepa PNRO NCSA P/Bag 3902050 [email protected]
0068
Govinda R. Principal DoT P/Bag 3953024 [email protected]
Emmadi Tourism 0047
Officer Gaborone
M. Montshiwa Regional Every River 3974557 [email protected]
Project Project
Manager
E.G. Ndadi SUD Field Agric/DAHP P/Bag 3950643 [email protected]
Coordinator 0032
Gaborone
S.G. Monna Head- NCSA P/Bag 3902051 [email protected]
Policy 0068
Programme Gaborone
D. Aniku SNRO NCSA P/Bag 3902051 [email protected]
0068,
Gaborone
C. Molosiwa ODMP IUCN/NCSA P/Bag 3902050 [email protected]
Project 0068
Facilitator Gaborone
S.K. Seopane PFO Forestry P/Bag 3914955 [email protected]
199
Gaborone
D. Mmui Secretary ARB P/Bag 3180853 [email protected]
ARB 00424
Gaborone
Wazha Tema Deputy DoT P/Bag 3953024 [email protected]
Director 0047
Gaborone
K Chigodora NRO 1 NCSA P/Bag 3902050 [email protected]
0068
Gaborone
38
39