Intentions regarding fencing of communal grazing areas for facilitating better management

Abstract

There is a belief in Botswana that fencing of the current communal grazing areas as advocated by the national policy on agricultural development (1991) can be a step towards addressing the environmental and economic problems associated with the degradation of natural rangelands. Findings from the survey conducted amongst a random sample of 132 stock farmers on different types of ranches in the Southern Region of Botswana indicate that various perceptions and needs represent significant constraints in the fencing of the current communal grazing areas. The incompatibility of fencing and the resulting ranch types and associated management possibilities with respondent's culturally conditioned needs, is probably the major obstacle.