The impact of private game farms on local community development

Abstract

Nature-based and wildlife tourism is a growing economic sector with associated increases in privately protected areas. The history of South Africa suggests a conflicting relationship between privately-owned game farms (PGFs) and their surrounding communities. There is an increased recognition of the contribution of PGFs to issues such as biodiversity and community development. However, few investigations, if any, on the relation between PGFs and community development can be discovered. The aim of this paper is to investigate and understand the current role and contribution of PGFs to community development, using a South African case study. To investigate the topic, telephonic interviews were conducted. The study suggests that PGFs are active in local community development albeit that their involvement is still in its early stages and could be enhanced. The present scarcity of research on the topic posits this investigation as a channel towards further research. The paper will suggest various strategies and projects that could help to facilitate the intervention of PGFs in community development.