23 June 2004

A KwaZulu-Natal Midlands community is considering introducing game hunting on its reclaimed land to enhance economic empowerment and sustainable land use.

The Ngome community near Greytown were the beneficiaries of one of the first ever land claims settled in South Africa when they received a 600-hectare game farm at Bambathaskraal in the 1990s.

Now the community aims to turn the farm into a profitable hunting concession.

They have signed a four-year contract with the KwaZulu-Natal Hunting and Conservation Association (KZNHCA).

Thembinkosi Lathe, chairman of the Ngome Community Trust, said proceeds from the hunting operations would be ploughed back into the community to build clinics, roads and schools.

"Hunting will create training and job opportunities and we will also get income from the hunting activities and from the by-products of hunting, such as taxidermy and the sale of the meat", Lathe said.

The KZNHCA will rehabilitate the hunting camp, train local people as camp staff, game guards and field managers, and set up a sustainable hunting programme.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife will train the community in bushcraft, while income will be generated by hunting fees and through accommodation at the lodge.

The community will continue to have access to the land to source thatching and building materials and, should the need arise, for grazing purposes.

The KZNHCA will train the community to make the venture economically viable. The training will include calculating how many animals can be sustainably hunted each year, how to manage the land for maximum benefit to the animals, and overcoming drought conditions and animal diseases.

KZNHCA chairman Charl van Heerden said the community was guaranteed a fixed income for four years from the hunting activities. They would also receive 80% of the accommodation turnover and 85% of the hunting fees.

"We have conducted a game count, and there is not much that needs to be done to create a sustainable hunting concession - we might introduce more impala and wildebeest, because they are very popular with the hunters. Our members have also agreed to become actively involved in community upliftment."

The deal was given the thumbs up by Andrew Venter, chief executive of Wildlands Conservation Trust.

"This shows that conservation can be a powerful tool for generating employment and income", Venter said.

Source: BuaNews

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	Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife  KZN Hunting & Conservation Association

Sustainable Development Development for "people, planet, prosperity" didn't start in South Africa with the 2002 World Summit. It didn't end there, either.