BCA Charity Outreach Committee (BCCO)

Minutes for the meeting held on the 24^th October 2007 at 13:35 HRS

PRESENT

M. Rammolai

B. Sebolai – Chairing

K. Ramoleko – Recording

T. Pene

B. Pene

ABSENT with apology

S.O. Tshwenyane-Recording

K.B. Ramoleko

V. Sesinyi

F. Pandor

T. Selebatso

K. Kgosikoma

T.Gwere

A. Monna

R. Mabe

N. Ositang

B. Ketlhobile

P. Nchanja

P. Morebodi

M. Mojoko

Agenda Items

1. Christmas activity

2. Place notes for donations and emphasise that clothing items should be washed

3. Request for toiletry, foodstuff and toys

4. Suggestion to carry water to the village on the gift day with water bowser

5. Ask management for some items including furniture and bedding from stores that is unused to give out to the needy

6. Find a day to visit and interact with the village residents. Liase with the king, village elders and social worker to identify potential beneficiaries (candidates). It is important to find a suitable date as soon as possible. Mr. Rammolai would contact the king and social worker.

7. Resume the cake sale next week Wednesday if any member can bake, so be it

Any Other Business

1. The money that was raised was P 760.00 and that used, P 160.00. Thus P 600.00 is left together with receipts. This money has been handed over to Mrs. Gwere on the 15^th August 2007.

1. Just to get us all up to par, please let me know about the following:

   1. Have we learned anything from the University of Botswana’s R.A.G

2. I suggest we update the Action Sheet below so we can know exactly where we are and hence where we going

Task	Person responsible	Date	Action taken	Comments

Meeting ended at 13:59

1

Range Degradation in Botswana: Myth or reality?

The widely-held notion that Botswana's communally-managed rangelands are degraded plays a significant role in determining rural development policy.

Under the pretext of stopping range degradation and increasing livestock productivity the Government of Botswana is determined to transfer the control over vast tracts of land from communities to individuals.

Because of the high social cost of this trend, the notion that the country's rangelands are degraded is being questioned. A 1992 paper argued that Botswana's rangelands showed no symptoms of degradation at all.

This was written in an attempt to dispel some of the confusion surrounding the application of the range degradation concept in Botswana. It ias three objectives. These are:

1. To present the current thinking of range ecologists vis-a-vis range degradation.
2. To dismiss recent arguments that range degradation in Botswana is insignificant.
3. To present an argument linking the livestock industry to ecosystem level degradation of the Kalahari..

Conclusions:
The two angles of range degradation are:

1. with respect to the output of a set of management-defined commodities, and
2. with respect to ecosystem processes.

The argument that range degradation does not exist in Botswana was advanced primarily from the point of view of beef cattle production. It was based primarily on the fact that average carcass weights in 1966 and 1990 were the same. This in isolation would undermine the contention that the range has degraded over time. However, average stocking rate declined over the same period, animal health improved through better veterinary services, and access to markets was greatly facilitated over the 24 years from 1966 to 1990. Given the changes in those other variables, the slaughter and off-take rates could have no bearing on any shift in range condition. Therefore, from the standpoint of beef cattle production there is no support for the argument that Botswana's rangelands are not degraded.

Ecologically important pockets of fertility in the region are maintained by the concentration of wild ungulate excreta within topographic depressions. Since veterinary cordon fences have been linked to the decimation of the Kalahari's wild ungulates, Botswana's livestock industry is responsible for the virtual cessation of the transfer of nutrients from the uplands to these pockets of fertility. This rupture of a fundamental ecosystem process should be viewed as range degradation at the landscape level.

Paper does not prove that there is de facto degradation. Nonetheless, management decisions are invariably made in the absence of a complete and irrefutable body of knowledge. This is particularly true of ecosystem management. The assumption that all is well and nothing needs to be done about the ecological degradation of Botswana's rangelands has serious long-term consequences. Privatisation of the Kalahari would not reverse the ecologically unsustainable trend assailing the Central Kalahari. To restore the region's ecological integrity, it is necessary to re-establish migration routes and allow the wild ungulate populations to recover to numbers commensurate with their ecological role and economic utilisation. Only then will the Central Kalahari be able to play a significant role in ensuring that Botswana's development is sustainable.

The full text (pdf) has more details.

Asian coal demand a boost for Botswana: official

Asian coal demand a boost for Botswana: official
Africasia - London,UKSurging coal demands from China, India and southern Africa have bolstered Botswana's mining potential, a senior government official told an international ...See all stories on this topic

Traditional doctors invade Botswana

Traditional doctors invade BotswanaMmegi - Gaberones,Botswana... council meeting yesterday, councilor Thuso Ogotseng said it is time that the Ministry of Health regulated all traditional doctors coming to Botswana. ...See all stories on this topic

SA strike not hurting Botswana

SA strike not hurting BotswanaMmegi - Gaberones,BotswanaThe public service strike in South Africa, which is in its third week, has not had any negative impact on Botswana despite the latter's economic dependence ...See all stories on this topic

Botswana activists lukewarm over AU

Botswana activists lukewarm over AU
Mmegi - Gaberones,BotswanaBotswana civil society representatives at last week's African Activists meeting in Tripoli, Libya are ambivalent on whether to rally behind the declaration ...See all stories on this topic

IMF exchange rate 'broadly appropriate' - IMF

IMF exchange rate 'broadly appropriate' - IMF
Reuters South Africa - Johannesburg,South AfricaWASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday Botswana's exchange rate was "broadly appropriate" amid a strong current ...See all stories on this topic

Salaries commission starts work

Salaries commission starts work
Republic of Botswana - Gaberones,BotswanaThe commission comprises Mr Quill Hermans, former Governor of Bank of Botswana, former Deputy Governor of Bank of Botswana, Dr Keith Jeffries, ...See all stories on this topic

First-ever Botswana underground mining planned

First-ever Botswana underground mining planned
Mining Weekly - Gardenview,Eastern Cape,South AfricaThe first-ever underground diamond operation in Botswana is in the planning stage at Jwaneng mine, GM Balisi Bonyongo told Mining Weekly Online on Friday. ...See all stories on this topic

Lies Put Man in Trouble

Lies Put Man in Trouble
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAThe Village Chief Magistrate, Lot Moroka sentenced a man to three years in prison for lying to a person employed in the public service. ...See all stories on this topic

Model of the Year's Auditions Reach Eliminations

Model of the Year's Auditions Reach Eliminations
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAMmannana Modelling Club's auditions for 'Model of the Year' contest have reached an advanced stage and the organisers are now bracing for eliminations, ...See all stories on this topic

Gospel Singer Cries Foul

Gospel Singer Cries Foul
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAJwaneng-based gospel singer Tlamelo "Ebenezer" Ramaiyane claims that a local recording company has ripped her off. Ramaiyane, who has a speech impairment ...See all stories on this topic

Incestuous Father Gets Nine Years

Incestuous Father Gets Nine Years
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAThe Ndola magistrate's court has sentenced a 38-year-old man to nine years imprisonment with hard labour for incest after he was convicted of having carnal ...See all stories on this topic

Dwindling Sports Sponsorship Worry Debswana Chief

Dwindling Sports Sponsorship Worry Debswana Chief
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAHe urged umbrella bodies like Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) and Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) to help affiliates find sponsors. ...See all stories on this topic

BFA Sends Mooki Packing?

BFA Sends Mooki Packing?
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAThe Botswana Football Association (BFA) is expected to send its Marketing and Communications Officer, Ishmael Mooki packing tomorrow before his probation ...

Celebrity Author Mashile to Be Crowned Today

Celebrity Author Mashile to Be Crowned Today
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAThe award ceremony now hosted by the University of Botswana (UB) was established in 1979 by a British charity to recognise excelling African authors who ...

Rollers Go for Semakwezi

Rollers Go for Semakwezi
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA... of Rollers since last year, but has been at the centre of a three-way dispute between the club, BDF XI and the Botswana Football Association (BFA). ...

Not Two Or Three But All Opposition Parties

Not Two Or Three But All Opposition Parties
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USAHaving referred only briefly last week to the Botswana Congress Party's "Democracy Alert No. 1 of 2007", I revisit the subject today. ...See all stories on this topic

Unicef Organises Children's Forum

Unicef Organises Children's Forum

AllAfrica.com - Washington,USALast Thursday, a group of Gantsi school children invited to participate in a children's forum organised by UNICEF gave accounts of how their own parents, ...See all stories on this topic

Botswana/Toyota 1000: Kalahari Race

Toyota teams Botswana 1000
Motorsport.com, Canada - 2 hours agoGaborone - Toyota teams made a great start today to the Toyota 1000 Desert Race by setting the fastest times in three Production Vehicle categories in the ...

Botswana 1000 Prologue summary
Motorsport.com, Canada - 2 hours agoGaborone - The father and son team of Hugo and Jaap de Bruyn struck an early blow for Toyota, looking to break an eight year drought on the event, ...

Constructors to battle at Toyota 1000
iAfrica.com, South Africa - Jun 13, 2007Toyota will be aiming to end an eight year drought on this year’s Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race from 15 to 17 June. Toyota’s last Production ...