Engaging communities to deter wildlife poaching in Southern Africa

Wildlife poaching remains a top issue in the Okavango Delta. Alarmingly, year-to-date numbers exceed the cumulative figure for the past 10 years, said Southern Africa Regional Environmental Programs Deputy Chief of Party Brian App. The high demand for wildlife is largely to blame, which anti-poaching advocacy campaigns have been trying to address. But App said they are also developing community-based solutions to the problem. Part of the solution is to involve community members in other industries such as tourism, fishing, farming and mining. “The Okavango Delta is a high-value asset and … there’s a lot of room for expansion,” App said. Watch the clips above to learn more about how mapping technology is changing how they allocate land use and what other strategies they take to curb wildlife poaching. Join the Devex community and access more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.