Gail Potgieter

Questions and Answers (3) View all

• Answer added in Tourism, Economics and Development
  46 What are the links between tourism and poverty, and how can tourism be used as a tool for poverty reduction?
  By Idowu Folake Moyib · Tai Solarin University of Education
  Gail Potgieter · Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

  The last comment on this topic is particularly insightful, you clearly have a very good idea about the limits and potential of tourism to alleviate po... [more]

  The last comment on this topic is particularly insightful, you clearly have a very good idea about the limits and potential of tourism to alleviate poverty! I work in Namibia where there is a very strong move towards decentralising the profits for tourism and getting it into the hands of the local people. This occurs through the CBNRM programme, which helps the local people establish what are known as 'conservancies'. A conservancy is a locally-defined area (i.e. the locals define their own borders) that is managed by a committee elected by the members of the conservancy (i.e. local people). This committee is held responsible to manage the area to the benefit of all. One of the main benefits is, of course, tourism. In the past, tourism operators simply had to approach the right traditional authority with the right amount of money, and they would get permission to stay in the area, build a lodge and take all the profits from the operation. Tourism operated in this manner (which is common throughout Africa, especially in poor rural areas) is designed to make money for the tourism operator. They then employ a few local people at the minimum wage and sell this employment to their tourists as 'community development'. Of course, the few households that benefit from the jobs created are in a better situation than before the lodge was built, but the community at large still remains impoverished. Namibia struck it lucky, as some very enlightened NGOs and people in government worked together with the communities to find a better way of distributing the money coming from tourism. These days, the conservancy committee receives training on how to do business with tour operators (to make sure they don't get ripped off) and how to run their own lodges. They are then free to decide whether they want to go through the effort of managing their own lodge, or if they want their own lodge that someone else manages on their behalf, or if they allow an external developer to come and build a lodge and manage it, and pay rent to the conservancies. This gives the local people a sense of empowerment, and the backing of the government and NGO's makes sure that the tourism operators can't go back on their word. At the end of the day, the money is given to the conservancy, which holds regular meetings with all interested members and they jointly decide what to do with it. As there are often many members in a given conservancy, the benefits often have to be spread rather thinly, which limits the capacity for the conservancy to eliminate poverty completely. However, the system is excellent in that the people feel that they have a real say in how the money from tourism gets used and they can thus drive their own development. Without a system such as this in place, it is very difficult to ensure that tourism has any meaningful impact on poverty alleviation. However, this often depends on the tour operators. There are many that are only there to suit their own pockets and will minimise all expenditure, particularly that involving the local community. Then there are the few that really care about the local people, who will provide training to their employees, help build schools and clinics in the area and generally maintain their social responsibilities.
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• Answer added in Wildlife Biology
  2 Structured decision making and adaptive management
  By Jim Casaer · Research Institute for Nature and Forest
  Gail Potgieter · Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

  Hi, whilst I am unaware of any courses etc., I have just finished reading a very good guide on using Adaptive Management in Conservation see www.FOSon... [more]

  Hi, whilst I am unaware of any courses etc., I have just finished reading a very good guide on using Adaptive Management in Conservation see www.FOSonline.org. Written by Nick Salafsky and colleagues. Maybe they know someone who can give your course?
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• Answer added in Biodiversity & Conservation
  42 What new technologies do we need for effective conservation?
  By William Sutherland · University of Cambridge
  Gail Potgieter · Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

  New technologies are wonderful - for those who know how to use them... I agree with many of the above posts in that what really needs to happen is tha... [more]

  New technologies are wonderful - for those who know how to use them... I agree with many of the above posts in that what really needs to happen is that the current technologies are shared with local communities. To many of us, GPS tracking devices are old news, but to many people working with local communities (at the 'coal face' of conservation, as it were) concepts like GPS and mapping are completely foreign. One technology that I like is the Cybertracker software - it can be used on PDA's in the field and is designed to be used by people with even minimal levels of literacy. It allows field workers to enter data on just about anything you can think of, which is then transferred to a computer. If the PDA is equipped with or connected to a GPS, then all of those records (e.g. sightings of animals, identification of spoor and scat) are automatically GPS'd. It is truly incredible software based on relatively 'old' technology and a simple idea, yet the possibilities for use are endless. Lastly, the developer has ensured that the software remains freely available to all who want to try it. More software and software developers like this are desperately needed!
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