Gov’t looks inward for ivory stockpile value as tusks reach 300 tonnes
Pini Bothoko | Monday June 15, 2026 06:00
The revelation was made by the ministry's Director, Moemi Batshabang, when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurances this week. Batshabang was responding to concerns raised by the Member of Parliament for Gabane/Mmankgodi, Kagiso Mmusi, who questioned what plans the government has for the vast quantities of elephant tusks accumulating across the country.
Mmusi argued that Botswana is currently facing economic challenges and should consider ways to derive value from its ivory stockpile.
'The country is experiencing a shortage of funds, yet every year we continue to accumulate elephant tusks. What is their value, and can we not sell them to generate revenue for the country?' Mmusi asked.
In response, Batshabang acknowledged that Botswana's ivory stockpile continues to grow annually. He explained that tusks are collected from elephants that die naturally, those killed by poachers, and animals destroyed during human-wildlife conflict incidents.
'Currently, we have approximately 300 tonnes of ivory in our stockpile, and the quantity continues to increase every year,' Batshabang said.
Although Botswana is unable to sell the ivory under current international regulations, Batshabang estimated that the stockpile could be worth between US$100 and US$200 per kilogram on the international market.
The ministry's Permanent Secretary, Abigail Khumoyame, echoed concerns about the growing stockpile and reiterated Botswana's longstanding position that countries with healthy elephant populations should be allowed to benefit economically from their ivory resources. Khumoyame said Botswana has consistently opposed international restrictions prohibiting the commercial trade in government-owned ivory stockpiles.
'As a country, we do not fully agree with the position that ivory should never be commercialised. We believe there should be mechanisms that allow countries like Botswana to derive economic value from these resources while continuing to invest in conservation,' she said.
She revealed that the ministry is now exploring alternative options that fall outside conventional international ivory markets, although no clear model has yet emerged.
'What was agreed at last year's Conference of the Parties was that we should explore domestic industries and see whether we can promote beneficiation and strengthen the wildlife economy value chain without necessarily relying on international sales,' Khumoyame explained.
Botswana is home to the world's largest elephant population, estimated at more than 130,000 animals, representing roughly a third of Africa's elephants. However, despite its successful conservation efforts, the country remains bound by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which heavily restricts international commercial trade in ivory.
The restrictions have been a longstanding source of frustration for Botswana and several Southern African countries, which argue that proceeds from controlled ivory sales could be used to fund conservation programmes, anti-poaching operations and rural development initiatives.
For years, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa have jointly lobbied CITES to permit the sale of government-owned ivory stockpiles accumulated from natural elephant deaths and confiscated ivory. However, their proposals have repeatedly faced resistance from conservation groups and other African nations concerned that legal ivory sales could stimulate demand and encourage poaching.
The debate has remained one of the most controversial issues within global wildlife conservation circles. Supporters of legal ivory sales argue that countries that successfully conserve elephant populations should be rewarded rather than penalised. They contend that maintaining large elephant populations comes with significant costs, including damage to crops, destruction of property, threats to human life and increased conservation expenses.
Opponents, however, maintain that any reopening of legal ivory markets could provide cover for illegally sourced ivory and potentially fuel poaching across Africa. The disagreement reached a peak in recent years when several Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries threatened to withdraw from CITES over the continued ban on ivory sales.
Although discussions were held regarding a possible withdrawal from the treaty, member states ultimately chose to remain within the organisation and continue advocating for reforms from within.
Meanwhile, the ministry also provided an update on Botswana's efforts to address climate change and its growing environmental impacts. Khumoyame told the committee that climate change continues to pose a serious threat to the country, affecting rainfall patterns, increasing the frequency of veld fires and altering ecosystems.
She said the ministry remains committed to strengthening climate resilience despite limited financial resources.
'We currently have a budget of P35 million dedicated to climate change interventions, but that amount is not sufficient considering the scale of the challenge we are facing,' she said.
Khumoyame noted that Botswana has benefited from partnerships with developed countries, which have provided both technical expertise and financial assistance to support climate adaptation initiatives.
She stated that climate change has already manifested itself through shifting rainfall patterns, increased temperatures and more frequent veld fires.
'We have observed significant changes in rainfall patterns, the emergence of vegetation species that were previously uncommon in certain areas, and an increase in the occurrence of veld fires,' she said.
To mitigate these impacts, the ministry has intensified public awareness campaigns and is working closely with farming communities to improve fire prevention and response measures. 'We continue to sensitise communities, especially farmers, about the dangers of veld fires and encourage them to actively participate in fire suppression efforts. We are also maintaining and expanding firebreaks to improve our preparedness,' Khumoyame explained.
She warned that the country could experience an increase in veld fires during the coming dry season due to the abundant vegetation growth that followed the heavy rains experienced between December and the early months of this year.
The excess vegetation is expected to dry out during winter, creating large amounts of fuel that could contribute to more intense and widespread fires.
Khumoyame also encouraged Batswana to embrace renewable energy technologies, particularly solar power, as part of broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable economy.
'As a country, we must continue exploring cleaner energy alternatives. Solar energy presents significant opportunities for Botswana, and we encourage citizens to consider adopting it where possible,' she said.