The feasibility of implementing an integrated management plan of the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Both the Okavango River Panhandle Management Plan (ORPMP) and the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP) represent attempts at different times by different environmental resources management authorities to tackle issues of environmental degradation, growing pressure on land and water resources of the Okavango Delta as well as conflict over management and use of the resources. This paper reviews the two plans with a view to find out if the conceptual framework they follow would have a bearing on their implementabilty. It is concluded that both plans have implementation challenges. The ORPMP fails to be implemented for rather conventional reasons such as lack of stakeholder involvement. The ODMP on the other hand was developed following an integrated water resources planning concept. However, implementing of this plan in an integrated manner is problematic due to centralized and not integrated national planning, adoption of a sectoral approach by government agencies, and low capacity of the relevant local authorities for integrated management of resources.