The University of Botswana together with Game Pro Training Academy in South Africa will soon offer courses on professional hunting and other skills such as animal trekking and skinning.
This follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the two institutions signed at the University of Botswana on January 29, 2020. Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, signed for the University while Mr Jan Muller, signed on behalf of Game Pro Training Academy as director.
The objectives of the MoU include joint delivery of a skills development and professional hunter training. Its aim is to create platforms for knowledge and information sharing, joint collaboration on development of research, academic and educational cooperation besides establishing collaborative training programmes by the two institutions.
According to the MoU, the University of Botswana through the Okavango Research Institute (ORI) will, among others, be able to generate income and offer market oriented courses that will enhance opportunities for research on wildlife hunting in Botswana.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Professor Norris said it was exciting for UB to have signed the MoU in that the benefits thereof would have a direct and practical impact on the lives of Batswana. “It (collaboration) has a direct benefit to society because a lot of people will be excited to be trained as professional hunters,” observed Professor Norris.
On the other hand, Mr Muller was delighted that the training offered would be in line with Botswana’s vision of sustainable utilisation of wildlife resources. It will also enhance the employability of traditional hunters and trekkers given that they will now have certificates and formal qualifications, he added.
“The aim is to get unskilled people into the skilled market by giving them a formal qualification because most of them have the skills learned acquired through extended practice but with no formal certification,” noted Mr Muller.
ORI Director, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa, said apart from income generation, the courses offered would help impart knowledge and skills to government agents such as wildlife officers and game wardens.
Professor Mbaiwa added that at ORI they were also looking forward to eventually offering accredited courses beyond which the University of Botswana would be able to create knowledge and information on issues such as wildlife conservation and tourism in Botswana.