Is nature Botswana’s next big economic asset?
Botswana is looking beyond diamonds as it seeks to diversify its economy and unlock new sources of growth. The country’s Environment and Tourism Minister argues that Botswana’s natural capital — from the Okavango Delta to its wildlife and protected areas — could become a major economic driver, generating jobs, investment and tourism revenue while supporting conservation efforts. Joining CNBC Africa is Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Abigail Khumoyame.
Mon, 29 Jun 2026 11:45:32 GMT
Botswana is stepping up its push to diversify its economy beyond diamonds, with officials arguing that the country’s wildlife, protected landscapes and high-end safari industry could become a major long-term growth engine
In an interview, Abigail Kumoyami, permanent secretary at Botswana’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism, said the country is increasingly looking to its natural capital — from the Okavango Delta to Chobe National Park and its vast wildlife populations — as a strategic economic asset capable of lifting GDP, creating jobs and supporting community development
The shift comes as Botswana, one of the world’s leading diamond producers, confronts the risks of heavy reliance on a single commodity. Diamonds have shaped the country’s modern economic trajectory for decades, helping transform Botswana from one of the poorest countries at independence into a middle-income economy. But officials now say that model is no longer sufficient on its own
“Botswana, we’ve been totally dependent on our diamonds for more than half a century,” Kumoyami said, describing the mining industry as central to the country’s development story. At the same time, she said, there is now “an urgent” need to diversify the economy and broaden the
For Botswana, that diversification effort is rooted in assets it already possesses. The country’s tourism industry is heavily wildlife-based and anchored by globally recognized conservation areas. Kumoyami highlighted the Okavango Delta, which holds dual designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Ramsar wetland of international importance, as well as Chobe National Park, known for its large elephant population and Big Five appeal
Currently, tourism contributes about 5% to Botswana’s GDP, based on the country’s 2019 tourism satellite accounts. The government’s ambition is to lift that contribution to 8%, according to its national tourism strategy and master plan, which supports the revised tourism policy of 2021
That target is not just about revenue. Botswana is also trying to use tourism and conservation-linked industries to tackle unemployment, especially among young people. Kumoyami said the sector currently supports around 50,000 jobs, making it the country’s second-largest employer after government. She said officials believe the industry’s broader value chain — including hospitality, transport, services and other support sectors — offers scope for significantly more employment
The strategy reflects a broader attempt to turn conservation into an economic pillar rather than a niche activity. Botswana is known for marketing itself as an exclusive safari destination, especially in ecologically sensitive areas. Kumoyami said the country is committed to a “high value, low volume” tourism model in places such as the Okavango Delta, designed to preserve ecosystems while generating premium returns
That approach, she argued, allows Botswana to protect its natural assets for future generations while still monetizing them through tourism. It also aligns with the government’s focus on sustainable utilization, rather than overexploitation, of natural re
Still, conservation-led development models across Africa often attract criticism over whether local communities receive a fair share of the proceeds. Kumoyami acknowledged that the issue is central to Botswana’s plans and said the government sees community participation as essential to both conservation and economic success
She pointed to Botswana’s Community-Based Natural Rem for sharing benefits with residents living near wildlife and conservation areas. According to Kumoyami, the country now has more than 170 registered community-based natural re
Those entities, she said, benefit directly through jobs, access to allocated hunting quotas and community revenues that can be reinvested in education, business development and locally led projects. The government also passed a CBNRM Act in 2025, which Kumoyami said is intended to strengthen reforms and expand community gains from natural re
Her comments underscore Botswana’s effort to present conservation not only as an environmental priority, but as a practical development model. “They can only conserve what they’re benefiting from,” Kumoyami said, arguing that communities must see direct returns if long-term protection efforts are to succeed
Botswana’s officials also frame the country’s nature-based wealth as being on a potentially enormous scale. Asked what the opportunity cost would be if Botswana failed to capitalize on its environmental assets, Kumoyami said the country was sitting on “more than trillions of dollars” in untapped value
That estimate may be difficult to quantify precisely, but it reflects the government’s conviction that nature-based industries could become a significant economic frontier if managed effectively. The challenge will be converting ecological value into measurable, inclusive and sustainable output — a task that many re
Kumoyami argued that Botswana’s experience with diamonds offers a useful template. She said the country’s mining revenues were channeled into national development priorities such as roads, water infrastructure and public services, rather than being concentrated only in mining communities. In her telling, the same principle can be applied to natural capital: protecting the asset, capturing its value and distributing the benefits across the broader economy
Whether nature can truly become “Botswana’s new diamond” remains to be seen. But the government’s message is clear: as global demand evolves and the limitations of commodity dependence become more apparent, Botswana wants its wilderness, wildlife and conservation model to take a more central role in its economic future
If the strategy succeeds, the country may offer a closely watched case study in how natural ecosystems can be leveraged not only for tourism receipts, but also for jobs, investment and rural development — without sacrificing the conservation principles that make those assets valuable in the first place
