Land Reform Biodiversity Stewardship in KZN Making protected areas drivers of rural economic development
LAND REFORM BIODIVERSITY STEWARDSHIP SITES IN KZN Three declared nature reserves: Somkhanda Game Reserve. Nambiti Private Game Reserve. Umgano Nature Reserve. Number of sites in negotiation, notably: Mun-Ya-Wana Conservancy. Upper uthukela. Babanango Game Reserve.
THE umfolozi BIODIVERSITY ECONOMY NODE
Potential: PROGRESS OF THE umfolozi BEN Conservation area in excess of 150,000ha. Dominant land uses rural subsistence agriculture, conservation, wildlife enterprises and Nguni cattle farming. Strong potential for nature-based and Zulu cultural-based tourism. Progress: Three communal areas to be incorporated into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) have been proclaimed. Private sector investment in excess of R120 million has been secured for lodge development in HiP. Private sector investment of approximately US$30 million is targeted for Babanango Game Reserve.
POTENTIAL OF BABANANGO GAME RESERVE Biodiversity significance 13,500 hectares owned by Emcakwini Community Trust. Qualifies to be declared as a nature reserve in terms of Section 23 of the Protected Areas Act. The site has optimal habitat for a range of game species, including plains game and Big 5 game. Business development potential: Business plan envisages the creation of approximately 300 jobs. Very good tourism potential focussed on wildife tourism, Zulu cultural tourism and battlefield tourism. Very good wildlife ranching potential, focussed on game meat production and live game sales. Good potential for development for hunting.
DEVELOPMENT OF BABANANGO GAME RESERVE KZN Biodiversity Stewardship Programme: Site assessment for nature reserve category Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Completion of a survey of the nature reserve boundary and preparation of an accompanying Surveyor General diagram. Detailed rangeland assessments to determine carrying capacity and suitable game species mix KZN Department of Agriculture and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Conservation Outcomes: Land User Incentive funding proposal submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) for the clearing of alien vegetation and the revitalisation of a charcoal and sawmill operation. Submission to DEA through the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programmes funding for Wildlife Economy development. African Habitat Conservancy: Highly detailed site feasibility assessment and business plan. Purchase of three additional farms. Employment of a reserve manager Musa Mbatha. Initiation of the process of appointing fencing contractors.
Case Study: Nambiti Private Game Reserve
LOCATION
OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE RESERVE Property ownership: Senzo kuhle Nkos unodada Communal Trust successfully claimed the land in June 2009. 136 beneficiaries to the land claim. Lodge sites have been sub-divided out and are separately owned although the community owns two sites one of which is developed. Management structure: There is a 35 year management lease with an option to renew for a further 35 years. Nambiti Private Game Reserve (Pty) Ltd. is 30% owned by the communal trust and 70% owned by the lodge owners. Board consists of six directors, two of which are community representatives.
Status: BIODIVERSITY SIGNIFICANCE Proclaimed nature reserve in terms of Section 23 of the Protected Areas Act. Contribution towards biodiversity and protected area targets: Vegetation/habitat targets. NFEPA wetlands and a number of threatened and endemic fauna and flora species. Introduction of black rhino as part of the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. Ecological management: Rangeland condition assessments conducted through the stewardship programme showed heavy over-stocking and a need to decrease animal numbers.
Tourism: BUSINESS OPERATIONS Primary focus of the reserve with 9 luxury game lodges. Game meat production: Sustainable off-takes to reduce wildlife numbers to within carrying capacity limits. Additional income stream for the reserve. Provision of affordable meat to the surrounding communities. Live game capture and sale: Sustainable off-takes to reduce game numbers. Additional income stream for the reserve. Decisions on live off-takes or game meat production driven by the value of the animal at the time of harvesting.
Employment: EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Operational management 54 people. Tourism in excess of 190 people. Total approximately 250 people employed at the reserve. Contrasts with the 19 people that were employed when all the farms were purchased. Finances: Lodge turnover estimated at between R3.5 and R4.0 million per month. Venison production: o 2013 R900,000 o 2014 R840,000 Live capture and sale: o 2014 R861,213 o 2015 R1,526,688 Total annual turnover of between R45 and R50 million.
Lease: COMMUNITY BENEFITS R103,374.49 per month. R4,560.60 is paid into the bank account of each beneficiary every six months. Lodge ownership: o o o o Springbok Lodge: Largest lodge between 50 and 60 beds. Employs 56 people. Occupancy 62% (40% foreign guests). Turns over in excess of R1 million per month. Own another undeveloped lodge site. Profit share of reserve operations: 30% shareholder. However levies for second lodge site (R45,000 per month) have been waived and community have foregone profits. Community paid an additional R100,000 at the end of each year. Preferential employment: Beneficiaries are preferentially employed and if suitable candidates are not available, training is offered.
Establishment of a game meat market for biodiversity stewardship sites
SOUTH AFRICA S GAME MEAT MARKET Current status: Following a FMD outbreak in 2011 no exports to Europe. Currently the only exports permitted to the EU are for zebra. Estimated that in 2017 the total legitimate venison production in South Africa was 400 tons (about 200 tons were exported zebra).* Untapped potential: Absa Agricultural Outlook world demand for venison 100,000 tons, supply approximately 40,000 tons. Outlook projects that between 2013 and 2020 growth in game meat products for local markets has the potential to grow by 20%. Export market has the potential to grow by 8%. *Source: De Villiers (2018)
LEGAL ISSUES WITH SOUTH AFRICA S MARKET Recreation and trophy hunting: Carcasses and meat sold to butcheries, supermarkets and restaurants. No primary or secondary inspection. No traceability. No hygiene and health control. Others abattoirs and butcheries: Not approved for game. No traceability. Questionable hygiene and health control. Game Meat Regulations: Registered game meat processing facilities. Ante-mortem inspection. Meat inspection by qualified meat inspectors.
LIMITATIONS OF THE MARKET Veterinary and health restrictions: Presence of endemic diseases e.g. Foot-and-Mouth, Tuberculosis and Corridor Disease. High levels of bureaucracy, involving multiple departments DAFF, Department of Health and Department of Trade and Industry. Need to finalise the Game Meat Regulations. Other key issues: The need to achieve and maintain a critical mass of meat production and supply. The need for finance to develop abattoirs, and other infrastructure and equipment that are legislatively compliant. The distribution and supply requirements for getting meat to retail markets.
Envisaged outcomes: THE WILD-SOURCED GAME MEAT INITIATIVE Comprehensive review of South Africa s existing game meat industry. Review of case studies of successful market initiatives in South Africa and Namibia. Comprehensive understanding of the legal and health requirements for harvesting, meat handling, health and hygiene for domestic and export markets. Development of a guideline that may become a standard focussing on game meat production off of extensive protected areas. Determination of potential trial sites and implementation of the demonstration project. Assessment of the social value of the demonstration project to communities. Identification of the needs to take the project to scale across South Africa.
SKUKUZA GAME MEAT PROCESSING FACILITY Focus of the business plan: Determining how to make the facility operational and effective. Requirements to make the Kruger National Park more financially selfsufficient. How benefits of meat production can be distributed to land claim beneficiaries and neighbouring communities. Requirements to enable neighbouring communities to develop opportunities associated with meat production, utilising the facility to support and enable this.
POTENTIAL DEMONSTRATION SITES Nambiti Private Game Reserve
POTENTIAL DEMONSTRATION SITES Ithala Game Reserve: 29,267 ha declared nature reserve. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is the management authority but successfully land-claimed by neighbouring communities. Co-management structures in place. Considerable potential for protected area expansion north of the Pongola River. Existing abattoir processing limited amounts of game meat.
OPPORTUNITIES IN NORTHERN ZULULAND
KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED Overcoming the barriers veterinary and health, critical mass, distribution and supply, etc. Biodiversity conservation compatible: Formal declaration as a protected area. Humane harvesting of animals (and other issues e.g. use of lead ammunition). Optimising socio-economic benefits. Marketing and creation of a brand: The use of naturally-adapted indigenous species that contribute to food security and climate change adaptation. The ethics of humane harvesting in situ as part of the ecological management of PAs. The appeal of game meat as a healthy product that meets similar market demands of other types of meat.
It s hoped that the project will: CONCLUSIONS Contribute towards the financial viability and self-sufficiency of protected areas. Enable landowners participating in Biodiversity Stewardship programmes and state protected areas access to the market for their game meat products. Enable the game meat products to be marketed and sold at a premium based on the ecologically and socially responsible manner in which animals have been raised and harvested. Provide leverage for funding to enable communal landowners to invest in wildlife and the biodiversity economy to enable further development of the game meat market. Ultimately it s hoped that the project can be upscaled to protected areas across the country.