BWABWATA KWANDU HUNTING CONCESSION: A Case Study on Contract Governance

Bwabwata Kwandu Hunting Concession Case Study

By: Chris Weaver, Richard Diggle, & Theunis Petersen

Organizations: WWF and IRDNC, NNF and MET

Region: Caprivi

Date: June, 2006

Introduction & Background

• Community: Kyramacan Association, represents close to 7,000 residents of Bwabwata NP;

• Members Association registered to serve as co-manager Bwabwata NP; struggled to acquire recognition since independence;

• In 2006, finally recognized and granted the rights to benefit from Park resources;

• Context: new community body tasked with effectively tendering and negotiating the two hunting concessions in transparent and optimal manner

Problem Identification

• Tendering and contracting a new experience for the Association;

• Some safari companies were attempting to influence key committee members by offering special “deals”;

• Would the concessions be transparently awarded to the benefit of the broader membership or to the gain of individuals?

Importance of Case Study To Good Governance:

• The transparent tendering and negotiation of hunting (or lodge) contracts is critical to the credibility of the CBNRM Programme –– Ensures integrity to the process; – Optimizes returns to communities; and– Leads to true community empowerment

The Tender Process• Quota approved by MET;• Association advertised concessions through

NAPHA via letter;• Tender document sent to interested big

game hunters;• 8 Tenders received; • Tenders reviewed and top offers chosen for

interviews

Reviewing The Offers:

Tender Results:

Operator

Guaranteed Quota Optional Quota Jobs Training Others

Total Values of Offers in N$ (not

including Optional Value)

Annual Value US$

Annual Value

N$

Annual Value US$

Annual Value

N$ Job

Creation

Job Value N$

Training Value N$

Benefits in Kind

Value N$

                 

A

150,000

930,000

98,000

607,600

10 48,600

-

40,000

1,018,600

Allen Cilliers Hunting Safaris

106,200

658,440

112,200

695,640

12

91,200

24,000

69,250

842,890

C

93,000

576,600

88,300

547,460

16 33,300

60,000

-

669,900

D

99,750

620,000

70,800

438,960

7 26,700

8,000

-

654,700

E

92,300

572,260

91,250

565,750

10 18,440

16,000

-

606,700

F

67,400

417,880

61,650

382,230

13 52,500

-

-

470,380

G

70,850

439,270

71,600

443,920

13 15,827

-

-

455,097

                   

Practicing for The Interviews

Interview Process:

• Interviewed the top three offers

Final Results of Tender Process

• Highest offer was turned down, even though it was much more than second-next offer;

• Community experience with Safari Company offering the highest amount had been very bad in the past;

• Committee opted for second highest offer, as the operator was deemed to be the best combination of partner and income; and

• The interests of individual committee members were overcome by the wishes of the broader committee

Intervention Description:

• Offers were publicly opened in a transparent manner;

• Offers were compared by the entire committee;

• Trade-offs (pros and cons) were openly discussed by the entire committee;

• Tender process was guided by a diverse mix of unbiased stakeholders (i.e., committee, MET, NGO, and private sector);

• Strong facilitation was required to ensure all committee members had a say in the selection process

Final Results:

• Community was empowered with not only right to benefit, but also with right of choice;

• Some safari operators have continued to attempt to influence the committee and individuals on the committee, but failed;

• Excellent results have been achieved, but it has not been without challenges

Lessons Learned:

• The greater the transparency in a tender process, the better the process is;

• Involving the entire committee increases the chances that decisions with integrity will be made;

• A good tender process requires considerable knowledge and skills transfer, and confidence building;

• Knowledgeable facilitators are a essential to creating a level playing field for communities to negotiate with private sector

The Beginning …

Conclusion

True empowerment is not only about the rights to benefits, but about the right of knowledgeable choice