Agriculture and Agribusiness

Wildlife Ranching and Conservancy Management

Wildlife on private and communal land has to pay for itself or it is replaced by cattle, which makes conservancy management an enterprise question as much as an ecological one. This course treats it as both. Delegates work through carrying capacity and stocking of game, including the browser and grazer balance that a mixed veld can actually support. Veld condition assessment and monitoring follow. Water provision and its effect on distribution are addressed. Game counting methods are covered, along with the confidence a manager can place in each. Off take and harvest planning are addressed, since sustainable off take is where revenue comes from. Revenue streams are covered across live sale, hunting, meat and tourism, with the licensing each requires. Predator and problem animal management is addressed honestly. Fencing, disease control and movement permits follow, including foot and mouth restrictions. Community conservancies and benefit sharing are covered. The course closes on business planning and on the records a conservancy needs.