Botswana has launched a sweeping five-year strategy aimed at clamping down on wildlife crime while safeguarding biodiversity and supporting sustainable land use. The plan marks a renewed push by the Southern African nation to embed conservation into its national development priorities.
Announced Wednesday in Gaborone by Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi, the National Anti-Poaching Strategy sets out to confront the growing threat of illegal wildlife trafficking—now considered a transnational, organized crime driven by high demand for products like ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales.
“Poaching is no longer a local issue,” Mmolotsi said. “It’s a global enterprise, and fighting it requires cross-border cooperation and joint enforcement.”
The initiative is backed by 26 million Botswanan pula (approximately $1.9 million) from the Global Environment Facility, with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It targets some of the region’s most vulnerable species, including elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
Key pillars of the strategy include enhanced coordination among law enforcement, community engagement, and sustainable land-use planning. Authorities see local communities living near conservation areas as essential partners in both protecting wildlife and benefiting from conservation-led livelihoods.
UNDP Resident Representative Balazs Horvath welcomed the launch, emphasizing that empowering people at the grassroots level is critical to long-term success. “Communities must be at the heart of any meaningful conservation effort,” he said.
The updated plan marks Botswana’s effort to institutionalize anti-poaching efforts and integrate them into broader national governance. It reflects a strategic pivot toward long-term resilience, positioning Botswana as a regional leader in wildlife protection.