The status of game farming in the North West Province - the motive for the establishment of game farms and their compliance with the Black Economic Empowerment Framework

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the justification for establishing game farms and compliance to broad based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). The focus of the study was on game farms in the North West Province. The main aspects under discussion included game farm ownership patterns in terms of age, gender and race. Other aspects (i.e. economic) like income generating activities, nature of client base and liquidity of game farms were also examined. The study employed the quantitative approach. The population of game farms was 569 and the derived sample was 112 (i.e. 20%), though 53 questionnaires were usable. The primary method used for collecting data was questionnaire. The data is presented using both tables and graphs. The data is analysed using SPSS. The study revealed that gender and racial equity were not accomplished in the game farming sector of the province. The findings also conclude that not many jobs are created by game farming given its extensive mode of operation. Despite the high rate of conversion of ordinary farms into game farms, they held little biodiversity value for conservation purposes and were not economically sustainable except for a few. The government need to intervene and regulate the sector in order for it to be sustainable both ecological and economical.