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Africa!Ignite

Categories of Interest

 
Ecotourism
Bioprospecting
 

Areas of Work


Southern Africa

Type of Intermediary

 
Ecotourism
Bioprospecting

Organizational Profile

Founded in 2004, Africa! Ignite is a leading rural development agency founded in KwaZulu-Natal and increasingly working in other parts of South Africa and Africa. We use our extensive rural footprint to partner with communities so that they can participate fairly and equally in the economy and society and make their voices heard. Our programmes help marginalised rural

communities(with a focus on women, youth and children) to earn a decent living, develop sustainable enterprises, learn usable skills, tell their stories, protect their health and environment, improve the quality of their education and ultimately improve the quality of life.

Services Provided

 

  • New product design & development
  • Crafter development & capacity building
  • Agro-processing/ bio-prospecting product development
  • Tourism itinerary development
  • Youth development
  • Enterprise development
  • Craft tourism and agro-processing sales / market access
  • Training/ facilitation
  • Feasibility studies and business plans
  • Research and advisory

 

Biodiversity Experience

 

  • Eco-tourism- tour guide development
  • Eco-tourism itinerary development in KwaZulu Natal, including iSimlangaliso, Ndume, Kwanzimakwe(South Coast), Drakensberg World Heritage Site and Inanda Durban
  • Environmental Education
  • Youth employment research for World Bank, including preparation of investment cases(eco-tourism and bioprospecting are focal areas)

 

Current Biodiversity Projects

 

  • EnvironmentalEducation (NQF 5) learnerships
  • NatureBased Tourism COVID Impacts research for the WWF
  • UNDP/ BIOFIN Digital Portal – platform development with Millhouse Consulting

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BAMBANANI COMMUNITY FARM

Submitted by admin on July 21, 2023

Goal

Bambanani seeks to partner with investors and stakeholders in the development of the site’s livestock and bioprospecting offering to create a sustainable and profitable community programme.

Investment Range / ROI

R5 Million - R20 Million 
ROI - 12% p/a

Public or Private Sector

This is a Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Job Creation
• Skills Development
• SMME Development
• Socio-economic Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas 

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Fully Restituted land with title deeds

 

Governance Structure

Community Property Association
Joint Venture Partnership

Land Size

932 Hectares

Location

Mpumalanga

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Wildlife Economy


Core Operations

  • Ranching and related value chain


Activities

Cattle and goat farming

Bioprospecting


Core Operations

  • Cultivation & Harvesting


Activities

Aviaries, birding and walking trails

Ecotourism


Core Operations

  • Ecotourism activities


Activities

Community vegetable gardens
Fire wood from forestry plantation

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Construction of abattoir and tannery with the capacity to process local livestock
  • Working towards the long-term restoration of wetlands
  • Development of site infrastructure to restore wetlands and conserve grassland  
  • Constructing aviary and bird watching hides Design and develop Ecotourism activity hub  with supporting facilities
  • Training, skills development and capacity building

 

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
R5 million - R20 million

Type of Investment Required
Capital Expenditure
Infrastructure Funding
Working Capital

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Equity, Debt, Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Signed Biodiversity Agreement Site
  • Site is a declared Protected Area
  • The WWF-SA partnership is well established
  • Active client base & commercial activity
  • Unique landscape, biodiversity, ecosystems, and bird stocks
  • Task Team in place, trained to eradicate alien species in the area

 

Key  Enablers

  • Access-road upgrades and water reticulation, fencing and electrification Infrastructure and facilities for water reticulation
  • Construct an abattoir and tannery with facilities for slaughtering, processing and packaging
  • Training, skills development, and capacity building to expand the skills of staff, management and community members

Business Operations

Ecotourism

Bioprospecting

Primary Customers

 

Communities and neighbouring towns Local and national market, retail and Afgri partners

Active Business Entities

 

Bambanani CPA

About this Opportunity

 

Bambanani Community Farm is situated approximately 30km from Wakkerstroom town in Mpumalanga, the second oldest town in the Province.

The land is owned by the BAMBANANI community representing 64 claimants and their families. The Site is on a 932 hectares area, which increased from 850 hectares through the Biodiversity Stewardship Program. The area is largely grassland and carries livestock and a eucalyptus plantation. It is also a wetland that provides a good habitat for different species and attracts a wide range of rare birds.

The Bambanani CPA has been trained by the WWF-SA in Alien Plant Clearing and Fire Management. The Site has partnered with The Mpumalanga Tourism Agency, Municipality, Birdlife SA and WWF – SA to conserve the area while investments in ecological infrastructure remain a high priority.

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African Nature-Based Tourism Platform

Categories of Interest

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy
 

Areas of Work


KwaZulu-Natal

Type of Intermediary

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy

Organizational Profile

With US$1,903,000 in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the African Nature-Based Tourism Platform will connect funders to the communities and small/medium enterprises (SMEs) most in need of funding support, with a goal of mobilising at least $15 million to support communities and SMEs in Covid-19 emergency relief efforts and to build greater resilience into the nature-based tourism business model into the future. Using a bottom-

up approach, the platform will gather data on impacts to communities and SMEs from the COVID-19 crisis, enhance knowledge sharing between relevant actors, facilitate the development of funding proposals from communities and SMEs, and make these available to relevant donors. Project focal geographies include Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Services Provided

 

  • Connecting investors to our network
  • Helping with proposal development
  • Providing funding for facilitation
  • Providing baseline data on communities and SMEs

 

Biodiversity Experience

 

The key goal of the platform is to facilitate matchmaking between donors and beneficiary communities and SMEs, resulting in the growth and well-targeted distribution of COVID-19 emergency relief funds, stimulus packages, and other financial support. With the facilitation of national CBNRM networks and non-governmental organizations, data collected from communities and SMEs will be used to connect communities and SMEs to appropriate donors and assist with proposal development. The platform will also focus on improved integration of nature-based tourism in investment decisions by governments and financial institutions.

Alsson (Pty) Ltd

Categories of Interest

 
Ecotourism
Bioprospecting
Wildlife Economy
Ecological Infrastructure
 

Areas of Work


Gauteng

Type of Intermediary

 
Ecotourism
Bioprospecting
Wildlife Economy
Ecological Infrastructure

Organizational Profile

Understanding the wildlife economy in South Africa and all the challenges value chain actors encounter, our skilled team could add value to any value

chain actor to improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness.

Services Provided

 

  • Business Planning
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Operational Plans
  • Financial Models
  • Help you to set strategic direction for growth

 

Biodiversity Experience

 

We have done various industry growth strategies, from game meat through to strategic planning for eco-tourism to leather growth strategies. Apart from such services our team have done more than 300 business plans to help new entrants or any value chain actor with understanding if their concept will be feasible and viable. Noting that such services could be invaluable to investors, specifically from viability, due diligence, and ROI perspective.

Current Biodiversity Projects

 

  • Game Meat Strategy for South Africa

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Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Submitted by mahesh_admin on July 20, 2023

Goal

Implementation of the ‘Blyde Restoration Project’ and supporting key efforts in ecological infrastructure, invasive alien plant (IAP) control, water management and ecosystem restoration. This also will cover developing the skills and capacity of local landowners and community members for long-term restoration and conservation which will improve and anchor business in eco-tourism, wildlife economy, water resource management and bioprospecting.

Investment Range / ROI

R50 Million and more
ROI - 15% pa

Public or Private Sector

This is a Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Job Creation
• Skills Development
• SMME Development
• Socio-economic Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Fully Restituted land with title deeds
The land is owned by the community

 

Governance Structure

Community Property AssociationJoint Venture partnership

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency is the management authority that manages the BRCNR in accordance with and subject to the provisions of all applicable environmental legislation, the provisions are contained in the Co-Management Agreement and the Integrated Management Plan.

Land Size

22659 Hectares

Location

Mpumalanga

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Bioprospecting


Core Operations

  • Cultivation and harvesting


Activities

Forestry plantation

Ecotourism


Core Operations

  • Accommodation
  • Ecotourism Activities
  • Cultural and traditional activities


Activities

Adventure activities include hiking, game drives, bird watching, horse riding, hot-air ballooning, biking, rock climbing, picnic sites and viewpoint tours.

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Water Resource Management Plan & supporting water supply infrastructure
  • Ecological Conservation - Invasive alien plant control working towards the long-term restoration of natural areas
  • Design and develop an ecotourism activity hub with supporting facilities – to include God’s Window Look-out and Skywalk Suspension footbridge
  • Design and build accommodation facilities and Conference Centre within the reserve
  • Game Ranching - Game meat processing and trade
  • Build a bio-industrial facility with factory plant capacity to handle a range of bio-prospecting ventures
  • Commercial IAP Biomass industrial facility
  • Training, skills development and capacity training

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
+R50 million

Type of Investment Required
Capital Expenditure
Infrastructure Funding
Working Capital

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Equity, Debt, Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Designated Biodiversity Stewardship site
  • Community-owned land, represented by four CPAs with no legal disputes
  • Proximity to Kruger National Park
  • Strong corporate governance structures with a Management Authority in place
  • Unique geological features e.g. the Three Rondavels, Pinnacle Rock and high species diversity with numerous endemic species
  • A strong customer network with an estimated 1 million tourists per year (pre-COVID)
  • The site is considered a critical biodiversity conservation area

 

Key  Enablers

  • Combat biodiversity loss (arising from invasive alien plants, veld fires, environmental degradation and poaching), and invest in sustainable natural environments
  • Development of BRCNR own accommodation facilities
  • Increase ecological infrastructure, upgrades and improvements to infrastructure
  • To create a BRCNR website and potentially include an e-commerce function to enable online bookings and synchronise with the current Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency website

Business Operations

Ecotourism

Bioprospecting

Primary Customers

 

Domestic and international tourists, high-end international & middle range hunters. (BRCNR  has historically attracted an estimated one million tourists per year (pre-COVID).

Active Business Entities

 

Management Authority
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency

About this Opportunity

 

The land is owned by the Blyde Community Property Associations, (the CPA). All parent farms and farm portions comprising the Blyde NR and the Lowveld plantations were claimed by four CPAs. These CPAs, collectively trade as Blyde Valley 04 CPA’s NPC, comprise:

  • Maorabjang Communal Property Association
  • Moletele Communal Property Association
  • Setlhare Communal Property Association
  • Mahubahuba a Bokone Communal Property Association

The BRCNR (also known as the Motlatse Canyon) holds one of the top ten largest canyons in the world. It boasts of cliffs that rise nearly 2,625 feet (800 meters) from the riverbed below.

The soon to be expanded BRCNR is composed of two historically different

 

management units, namely the Blyde Nature Reserve (Blyde NR) and the Lowveld Plantations, with different land-use and associated histories.

The BRCNR seeks investors and partners to develop and conserve the site’s unique natural (biodiversity, ecosystems and landscape) & cultural tourism, and bioprospecting offering.

Key highlights include:

  • Water supply for wildlife, biodiversity, wetlands and nearby communities
  • Conservation, heritage & tourism visitor centre, conference centre & accommodation facilities, game ranching
  • A major adventure ecotourism centre that includes God’s Window Look-out and the Skywalk suspension footbridge
  • Forestry plantations

Crocodile River Reserve

Submitted by mahesh_admin on July 18, 2023

Goal

To conserve, restore and manage biodiversity whilst ensuring a clean and healthy natural environment. This will include supporting green economy initiatives, promoting sustainable social and economic development and ultimately becoming a conservation reference model for other initiatives.

Investment Range / ROI

R5 Million - R20 Million 
ROI - 4% p/a

Public or Private Sector

This is a Public and Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Skills Development
• Job Creation
• SMME Development
• Socio-economic Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas
• Community Livelihood and Prosperity
• Landscape Restoration
• Ecosystem Restoration

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Other

Total of 3600ha protected area per NEM:PAA 57 of 2003. Crocodile River Reserve has 3200 hectares of privately owned land comprising more than 100 land portions from the Crocodile River Reserve. The land portions were formally Gazetted as Nature Reserve and Protected Environment in perpetuity under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEM:PAA) on 2 October 2019. There is a further 400 hectares of land owned by the Gauteng Government that has recently been incorporated into the boundaries of the Reserve. The Crocodile River Reserve is listed in the South African National Protected Area Register (NPAR).

 

Governance Structure

Other -Management Authority:

The Crocodile River Reserve is managed by the landowners who formed an NPO (095-125) - the Grassland Stewardship Alliance (GSA), which has been appointed as the Management Authority of the Reserve. The GSA works towards meeting the regulations to administer Nature Reserves, managing the biodiversity, as well as acting on behalf of its more than 94 Members that have committed their land to conservation. There is a formal Collaborative Agreement in place between the GSA and the GDARD which outlines the co-operation between the two. The agreement provides detail on various areas of support from the GDARD, for example access to scientific expertise and the various government projects in place related to bio-diversity protection.

Land Size

3600 Hectares

Location

Gauteng

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Wildlife Economy


Other - Activities/projects that protect biodiversity

 

Ecotourism

 

Core Operations

  • Other - Environmental education and recreation

 

Activities

  • Volunteering of Alien invasive plant removal/5 reserve sector projects
  • Environmental education programmes > 300 learners per annum
  • Cycling and walking around heritage and natural attractions - 500 per annum
  • Monthly awareness events (Walks & Talks) 2 
  • Monitoring of Eco-crime - prevention volunteers in poaching, snaring, stripping of indigenous resources - regular snare walks, security company co-operation

Ecological Infrastructure

 

Core operations

  • Land/veld management 
  • Wetland management 
  • Rehabilitation/restoration 
  • Invasive alien plant clearing and harvesting
  • Other - Environmental projects by voluntary teams

 

Activities

  • Alien Invasive plant removal projects, infestation monitoring, staff training (20/yr)
  • Wetland rehabilitation (outside services - Working for Wetlands)
  • Fire management, fire protection (fire breaks)  - CRR Fire Protection Association
  • Environmental Crime (prevention, awareness, support of contracted security company)

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Establishment of a Clear Boundary demarcation/Physical Access control 
  • Acquisition of Land for CRR consolidation into a cohesive reserve footprint
  • Development of SMME that supports local economic upliftment
  • Development and Implementation of Environmental Protection Services to prevent environmental crimes     
  • Purchase of Vehicle/s that transportstaff and equipment on a need by need basis
  • Purchase and erection of Signage to increase visitors' awareness
  • Development of Biodiversity Inventory Database

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
R5 million - R20 Million

Type of Investment Required‍

  • Capital Expenditure
  • Working Capital
  • Infrastructure Funding 
  • Technical
  • Other - Capacity Building - Environmental Consultancy Services

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Clearly demarcated protected areas 
  • Expanded and Consolidated protected areas
  • Contribution to the socio-economic advancement of surrounding communities
  • Prevention of poaching and removal of indigenous fauna and flora and irrepaceable species
  • Source of Transport for essential environmental services that is fire fighting, alien control, poaching and site maintenance 
  • Leader in Public awareness & advocacy limits footprint in sensitive protected areas and prohibited activities.
  • Biodiversity Information Repository - In-depth knowledge of CRR biodiversity assets

 

Key  Enablers

  • Knowledge  and ability to monitor biodiversity characteristics in the CRR and its buffer zone 
  • Landowners in the CRR and buffer zone that are aligned to conservation imperatives
  • Clear and understandable communication to shareholders on legislation and biodiversity conservation
  • Consistent and visible response to transgressions leading to effective law enforcement
  • Access to finance
  • Access to high level expertise

Business Operations

Wildlife Economy

Ecotourism

Ecological infrastructure

Primary Customers

 

The CRR hosts up to 3000 domestic visitors per annum (students biodiversity awareness conservationists, outdoor activities and sporting individuals/groups, urban families and researchers.

Active Business Entities

 

Grassland Stewardship Alliance (GSA) NPO 095-125

About this Opportunity


The Crocodile River Reserve (CRR) has been proclaimed as a Protected Area according to the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act of 2004.  By conserving biodiversity, CRR not only ensures that surroundings are richer and more diverse, but also secures the resources that will continue to provide improvements in the quality of human life. The Reserve boasts a variety of eco-systems and habitats within which there are many special species, some of them threatened and vulnerable. The Crocodile River Reserve’s programmes offer schools, universities and environmental interest groups the opportunity to learn about and experience biodiversity. Programmes envisioned by the Reserve takes into consideration that being on an urban edge there are a myriad of opportunities in identifying and working with established community leaders and organised groups in large areas where the population is diverse and highly fragmented.

The Reserve is looking to expand its impact on the natural and human environment, by introducing better security and access control, expanding through acquisition of adjacent land, SMME development, introduction of services to prevent environmental crimes, installation of signage to increase visitor awareness and development of a comprehensive biodiversity database.

 

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Kameelkop Game Reserve

Submitted by mahesh_admin on July 17, 2023

Goal

Building adequate capacity to provide a broad range of services in hunting, eco-tourism and recreation, meat processing and regenerative livestock production and to exploit supply chain opportunities. Prioritise investment marketing of offerings and work towards regenerative livestock and game farming and conservation.

Investment Range / ROI

R5 Million - R20 Million 
ROI - 16% pa

Public or Private Sector

This is a Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Job Creation
• Skills Development
• SMME Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas 

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Fully Restituted land with title deeds
100% owned by the Boschoek Community Trust (BCT), for the Boschoek Community.

 

Governance Structure

Community Property Association
Joint Venture partnership between the CPA and BONO Holdings creates Alldays Development (Pty) Ltd, which drives the business under Board Leadership.

Land Size

2000 Hectares

Location

KwaZulu-Natal

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Wildlife Economy


Core Operations

  • Ranching and related value chain
  • Safari and ecotourism value chain
  • Game meat value chain

 

Activities

Trophy hunting is available - part or all of the hunted animal can be kept as a hunting trophy.
Game meat sales, additional income is obtained through biltong sales.

Ecotourism


Core Operations

  • Accommodation
  • Safaris

 

Activities

Kameelkop offers a self-catering lodge which is used largely to accommodate hunting guests.
Accommodation in three chalets (6 beds).
Game drives are available for hunting guests.

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Marketing to encourage tourists for accommodation and ecotourism activities outside of core hunting seasons
  • Purchasing game stocks
  • Purchasing of cattle for ranching
  • Infrastructure upgrades for fencing
  • Build an abattoir with cold room to process game and beef

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
R5 million - R20 million

Type of Investment Required
Capital Expenditure
Infrastructure Funding
Working Capital

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Equity, Debt, Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Good partnerships with the KwaZulu-Natal Hunting Shooting and Conservation Association
  • Community-owned land with no legal disputeS
  • Expansion of protected land
  • Existing lodge with 6 beds
  • Proposed Biodiversity site
  • Existing wildlife stock
  • Established governance structure

 

Key  Enablers

  • Create and build an online presence including a website, social media and proactive marketing plan
  • Investment in cattle is a priority to develop additional parallel income to existing hunting operations
  • Targeted investment to increase game numbers are needed to sustain hunting and generate meaningful profit

Business Operations

Ecological infrastructure

Bioprospecting

Primary Customers

 

Local & international hunters.
Venison & commercial meat and retail distributors.

Active Business Entities

 

The reserve is managed by Ebuwahlanga Enterprises which was established in 2020 and is owned by BCT(50% Share), a Private Company (20% Share), Employees (20% Share) and Management Staff (10% share).

Hunhu Solutions is a 20% shareholder and commercial partner. Hunhu seconds the Managing Director of EE and leads operations under contract.

About this Opportunity

 

KameelKop is located close to the well-known Nambiti Big 5 Private Game Reserve near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal.  

A community of approximately 600 kraals previously lived on the site but were forcibly removed from the site 54 years ago.  The site was then run as a successful game farm/livestock ranch before being returned to the community following a formal restitution process some 15 years ago.  At this point, the community decided to retain the property as a game farm and to re-settle on other areas included in their restitution claim.  

Since then the reserve has been managed as a game farm, with hunting being the main income stream.   As such, there is an urgent need to start generating profits from the farm which have been earmarked for building a creche whilst future needs include investments in boreholes, solar panels & food gardens.

The community seeks to partner with investors in building capacity to provide high-quality service to their hunting and tourism customers. The proposed regenerative commercial livestock farming & conservation model at Kameelkop will boost throughput & complement the current game meat, droëwors and biltong processing operations.

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GGF Africa

Categories of Interest

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy
Bioprospecting
Ecological Infrastructure

Areas of Work


KwaZulu-Natal

Type of Intermediary

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy
Bioprospecting
Ecological Infrastructure

Organizational Profile

GGF AFRICA is a boutique investment banking firm offering corporate finance, transaction advisory, strategy and management consultancy services to clients in the private, NGO and public sectors. The firm has particular expertise in the key industries of agriculture; climate, environment and biodiversity; green energy; and tourism. Founded on the basic principles of

“service and value”, GGF Africa is built on five service pillars designed to strengthen our clients’ organisational capacity in the areas of Corporate Finance & Resource Mobilisation; Strategy & Implementation Support; Human Capital & Organisational Design; Internal Systems & Business Processes; and Customer Engagement.

Services Provided

 

  • Strategy & Business Plans
  • Financial forecasts & budgeting
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Training in business & financial
  • Business development &marketing

 

Biodiversity Experience

 

Experience in the biodiversity economy, with a particular interest in crafting business cases for the mobilisation of international investment capital into the Wildlife economy; Bioprospecting; Ecotourism; and investment in their respective value chains; and Ecological infrastructure. We have working knowledge of key institutional investors as well as NGO and public sector partners offering development support to actors in the Biodiversity sector.

Current Biodiversity Projects

 

  • UNDP BIOFIN funding for Biodiversity Economy
  • Game meat certification
  • AIP eradication & beneficiation

Namaqua Game Farm

Submitted by mahesh_admin on July 15, 2023

Goal

The Rooiwal Community Property Association (R-CPA) Board aims to build adequate capacity to provide a broad range of services in botanical tourism, wildlife and bioprospecting with a key output to refurbish the lodge and create a botanical garden with an aviary and snake park.

Investment Range / ROI

R20 Million - R50 Million
ROI - 12% pa

Public or Private Sector

This is a Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Job Creation
• Skills Development
• SMME Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas 

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Fully Restituted land with title deeds
5,554 hectares in the Northern Cape is owned by the CPA for the Rooiwal Community.

 

Governance Structure

Community Property Association
Joint Venture partnership

Land Size

5554 Hectares

Location

Northern Cape

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Bioprospecting


Core Operations

  • Cultivation and Harvesting


Activities

  • Essential oils processing facility.

Ecotourism


Core Operations

  • Accommodation


Activities

Existing Lodge with 11 rooms - requires renovation.
Existing campsite with basic facilities.

 

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Establishment of botanical gardens with aviary and snake park
  • Refurbishment and upgrade of the lodge
  • Construction of a conference centre to host public and private events
  • Game purchases for re-stocking and potential hunting
  • Upgrading Boreholes and water pipes
  • Fire protection and clearing of alien invasive species
  • Upgrading the security infrastructure to protect game and assets
  • Purchasing tractors and vehicles
  • Manufacturing essential oils and handicrafts

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
R20 million - R50 million

Type of Investment Required
Capital Expenditure
Infrastructure Funding
Working Capital

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Equity, Debt, Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Protected Biodiversity Stewardship Site 
  • Community-owned land with no legal disputes
  • Strong governance with a board in place
  • Located within a Protected Area Expansion Corridor between the Namaqua NP & Goegap Nature Reserve
  • The site is home to the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world and is famous for spring flowers
  • The tourist site has a 5km long scenic trail, two nature walks, picnic sites, and a research centre
  • Biodiversity Stewardship site

 

Key  Enablers

  • Renovation and refurbishment of the disused lodge and to build additional rooms and staff accommodation
  • Develop and construct an Essential Oil processing and packaging facility and commercialise a range of bioprospecting ventures and products
  • Build infrastructure (fencing, water tanks, roads) to enhance the lodge

Business Operations

Ecotourism

Bioprospecting

Primary Customers

 

Domestic & Regional tourists in flower season who stay in the camp.
Schools and colleges on educational tours.

Active Business Entities

 

Rooiwal Community Property Association.

About this Opportunity

 

The site is a Protected Area in terms of the Protected Areas Act and is home to the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world and more than 1,000 of its estimated 3,500 plant species are found nowhere else on earth. Traditional medicine may be derived from these species. Amphibians and reptiles are also well represented, along with several endemic species.

The property is strategically located within a Protected Area Expansion corridor that is planned between the Namaqua National Park and the Goegap Nature Reserve.

No economic activities are currently in operation and have not taken place since the ownership transfer was done in 2015.

Investment Opportunities include Game Ranching; Botanical Camp with Aviary and Snake Park; Essential Oils and Handicrafts; Lodge & Conference Centre and Bush Encroacher eradication.

The sustainable development of Namaqua is dependent on the land and natural ecosystem. The anchor business potential is in the wildlife economy, botanical eco-tourism and research, as well as bio-prospecting.

The San people of Rooiwal in Namaqualand, originally crop farmers, were displaced from their land with rich soils and good climate, to dry land on the mountains, where they were forced to learn how to live as livestock ranchers.

The land restitution process has restored land to the Rooiwal Community, albeit in a site far away from the cropping region from which their forefathers were originally displaced.

The land is now community-owned, with no land-related legal disputes, and is governed under clear legal structures. 

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People Nature Connect

Categories of Interest

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy
 

Areas of Work


KwaZulu-Natal

Type of Intermediary

 
Ecotourism
Wildlife Economy

Organizational Profile

We provide training, skills and capacity building services that unlock economic opportunity, contribute to wellbeing and poverty alleviation, and build environmental citizenship in rural areas. Our programmes are as follows:

  1. We assist youth to find and keep work through career guidance, access to vocational training, facilitating linkages with employees and graduates for work placements and an internship programme that includes at-work training, work readiness and professional development and ongoing mentoring.
  2. We support rural informal sector businesses by enhancing business skills, focussing on personal development and providing linkages to opportunities and markets.
  3. We build awareness of the value of conservation and environmental protection, with an emphasis on rights to a healthy environment and duty of care.
  4. People Nature Connect also works with teams and organisations to craft their socio-economic and community development strategies and help them set up programmes.

Services Provided

 

  • Training
  • Mentoring
  • Strategic planning
  • Linkages to markets
  • Internship development

 

Biodiversity Experience

 

Our team has a long history and specialises in the interface between rural development and conservation. We have over 25 years experience in poverty alleviation, environmental management and social justice.

We have worked in University, government and non-government sectors.

 

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