Government has put in place laws and policies to help communities living adjacent to natural resources benefit from the exploitation of such resources. The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms Philda Kereng, said the laws and policies would, in tun, foster the development of rural communities. Speaking to Ministerial and Executives Dialogue on delivering successful tourism concession programmes at the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and 2023 Awards in Gaborone on Friday, Ms Kereng said through such laws and policies, land was leased to the so that they could generate income for themselves. Ms Kereng said such policies created community-based natural resources management (CBNRMs) programme which put people at the core of national development. However, there was need to also help communities to use such resources sustainably. She said for rural development to be a success community development trusts managed CBNRMs must be inclusive and consultative and seen to be adding value to the lives of the people around such protected areas. She said CBNRMs had been an integral development process since 1980s, and has helped benefiting communities improve their livelihoods by utilising natural resources around them. She cited Chobe Enclave Community Trust which comprised of communities of five villages which owned a four-star ecotourism lodge. Ms Kereng said communities were encouraged to plough back revenues into other alternative means of livelihoods or venture into partnerships with investors, to reap more economic rewards, adding that joint venture partnerships with investors incentivized conservation as well. She said venture partnership fees charged was ploughed back into the National Environmental Fund where communities could access for conservation and projects geared to protecting the environment. Ms Kereng said for successful outcome communities were assisted with contracts negotiations, through a technical advisory committee comprising local authorities which also had programme helping communities sustainably use the resource and accruing revenue. She reported that authorities wanted to scale up, package the initiative to let other countries know Botswana conservation success story through the people by the people and government support. There was a need to extend the tourism fund to funding start-ups, new comers, young people and communities to package their tourism activities. The Chief Executive Officer of Citizen Empowerment Development Agency (CEDA), Mr Thabo Thamane, said to design and package concessions there was a need to also do community needs assessment, to identify community priorities, aspirations and challenges. Mr Thamane said if such was achieved, the programme would align well with genuine needs of the community, therefore fostering a sense of ownership. He said participatory planning process in engaging community members through meetings, workshops and consultations was part of inclusive decision making intended to create a sense of ownership among communities. He said there was a need for capacity building and training to enhance communities in sectors such as tour guiding. He also said because government�s limited role was in creating an enabling environment and not into making businesses, communities needed to take lead.