Government Expenditure
The expenditure review focused on the priority sectors as identified through the Biodiversity Policy and Institutional Review (PIR), namely, water security, food security and sustainable tourism. These priorities are primarily the responsibility of the Ministries of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services (MLWS), Agricultural Development and Food Security (MoA) and Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MENT). Historic expenditures for these government institutions starting in the 2012/13 fiscal year, and for key NGOs, were reviewed and biodiversity-related expenditures were identified and analysed. Sources of revenue linked to biodiversity were also assessed with a focus on MENT.
Total biodiversity expenditure was P 5.26 billion for 2012/2013 to 2018/2019, amounting to approximately 1.08% of total government expenditure. Average annual biodiversity expenditure for this period was P 751 million (see Table i). MENT is by far the largest spender on biodiversity, amounting to P 4 billion, which is equivalent to 67% of MENT’s total expenditure. MLWS spends the second-highest amount, P 780 million, which is equivalent to 5.6% of the ministry’s total expenditure, followed by MoA with biodiversity-related expenditure of P 489 million, equal to 3.6% of the ministry’s total expenditure.
The total projected future government expenditure on biodiversity management in Botswana between 2019/20 and 2025/26 is P 7.6 billion based on past expenditure by MENT, MoA, and MLWS, a ‘business-as-usual’ expenditure scenario, and a conservative budget growth scenario.
In terms of the six biodiversity management concerns, government biodiversity-related expenditure is projected to be split almost evenly between mainstreaming use (46%) and protection (54%).
Civil-society expenditure
Total expenditure, which can be attributed to six of Botswana’s largest NGOs were collected. In total, the NGO’s surveyed undertook P 210 million in biodiversity-related expenditure over the 2012/13 to 2018/19 period, with overall expenditure growing roughly in line with inflation.
