Environmental research

Present climatic conditions have changed the environment, resulting in less rainfall, long drought periods, high temperatures, evaporation rates and poor tree growth. Most trees (especially Mopane trees) have been cut drastically for fuel wood. The impact of severe Climatic conditions has resulted in less water available for use by communities. A demand of fuel wood is used as fuel wood, lighting and building materials. Less tree cover has caused loss of soil through erosion. Communities resort to using wet trees which produces heavy smoke and pollutes the environment. Tobane Interim Conservation Society seeks funding for the implementation of an adaptation and mitigation to climate change project. The plan is to start water harvesting schemes and a solar energy lighting project. The project will use harvested water to plant trees in the villages and some of the water will be used for back yard gardens to assist community members who are predominantly San to increase their green leafy vegetables intake. The goal will be achieved through two equally important objectives. One is to reduce vulnerability to climate change of communities and the other is to increase adaptive capacity. The plan is to assist about one hundred households from each settlement. It is expected that the solar energy harvesting project will reduce cutting trees for fuel wood and provide lighting as free energy from the sun will be harvested. The other project benefits include capacity building for solar panel erectors, maintenance crew, water harvesting schemes and training in horticulture. Provision of solar lighting is expected to reduce cutting of trees, improve and increase the time for students to study and do homework, thus enhance their learning abilities. The project Head quarters will be located in Tobane. The Tobane Interim Conservation Society Board is in the process of registering with the Registrar of Societies and has a draft constitution. It is in the process of opening a bank account. The output of the workshop will be a funding proposal detailing the project implementation process, work plan with budget that will form the basis of developing the project for the predominantly San villages.

Botswana