"The goal of our initiative was to drill six boreholes across Mokgacha, Gunotsoga, Eretsha, Beetsha, and Gudigwa”, said Joe Matome, Wilderness Botswana Caretaker Managing Director. "With the support of the Okavango District Council, we secured necessary surface rights’ approvals by late 2022, and drilling commenced in early 2023”.
This enduring project exemplifies Wilderness' commitment to its Empower impact pillar, leveraging private-public partnerships for community benefit. The project was a close collaboration with local village leadership structures, farmers, Franklin Wells of the World Foundation, the Okavango District Council, Ecoexist, and various individuals and institutional donors, including the Raschle Family, Allaround Africa, Renate Werthenbach, Karin Fröhlich, Urike Pongratz, Chris Koenemann and the German Cooperation implemented by KfW, as well as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Over BWP 1.2 million was invested in drilling and equipping these boreholes, two of which are solar-powered, while the remaining four are hand-pumped. The boreholes are strategically located to enhance water accessibility within clustered farming lands. This proactive measure not only addresses water scarcity but also mitigates wildlife-related risks, particularly elephant crop-raiding, thereby supporting sustainable farming practices and boosting agricultural productivity.
Wilderness is committed to positively impacting local communities through its conservation-focused hospitality tourism model. The introduction of boreholes, made feasible through collaboration with its partners and local government, not only aids farmers, many of whom are senior citizens previously struggling with water access, but also addresses the challenges facing agriculture in the Okavango Community Trust villages. These challenges include unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change, limited access to modern farming equipment and technology, bad road infrastructure affecting agricultural services, and ongoing wildlife threats.
“Despite these obstacles, the implementation of sustainable farming practices and strategic borehole placement represents an important advancement towards enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity in the region. Additionally, through the work of Wilderness’ partnership with Ecoexist, bringing water closer to people allows them to avoid walking unnecessary distances on foot, which should decrease the conflict between people and elephants in these parts. This is a great example of how practical solutions such as water provision, can be offered when a problem and its causes are well understood”, added Vincent Shacks, Wilderness Group Impact Manager.
“This borehole project and other planned initiatives to come are aligned with existing government agricultural programmes helping micro-scale farmers increase their crop yields. These boreholes will ensure reliable access to water, reduce the physical burden on farmers, and protect crops from wildlife, ultimately creating a more conducive environment for the implementation of these programmes. And after many months of collective dedication and effort, we are elated to hand over these boreholes to the communities, and eagerly anticipate witnessing the lasting positive impact they will have”, concluded Joe.
