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Submitted by mahesh_admin on July 20, 2023
Bioprospecting Ecotourism
Article Image
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Short Description
Some of the most iconic landmarks in South Africa are found in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve (BRCNR).
Debt
Equity
Grant

Goal

Implementation of the ‘Blyde Restoration Project’ and supporting key efforts in ecological infrastructure, invasive alien plant (IAP) control, water management and ecosystem restoration. This also will cover developing the skills and capacity of local landowners and community members for long-term restoration and conservation which will improve and anchor business in eco-tourism, wildlife economy, water resource management and bioprospecting.

Investment Range / ROI

R50 Million and more
ROI - 15% pa

Public or Private Sector

This is a Private Sector Opportunity

Investment Readiness

Environment & Social Impact

• Ecotourism Development
• Job Creation
• Skills Development
• SMME Development
• Socio-economic Development
• Expansion of Protected Areas

SDGs

Investment Opportunity at a Glance

 

Land Ownership and Governance

Land Ownership

Fully Restituted land with title deeds
The land is owned by the community

 

Governance Structure

Community Property AssociationJoint Venture partnership

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency is the management authority that manages the BRCNR in accordance with and subject to the provisions of all applicable environmental legislation, the provisions are contained in the Co-Management Agreement and the Integrated Management Plan.

Land Size

22659 Hectares

Location

Mpumalanga

Investment Opportunity Assessment

Bioprospecting


Core Operations

  • Cultivation and harvesting

 

 


Activities

Forestry plantation

Ecotourism


Core Operations

  • Accommodation
  • Ecotourism Activities
  • Cultural and traditional activities


Activities

Adventure activities include hiking, game drives, bird watching, horse riding, hot-air ballooning, biking, rock climbing, picnic sites and viewpoint tours.

Investment Opportunities

 

  • Water Resource Management Plan & supporting water supply infrastructure
  • Ecological Conservation - Invasive alien plant control working towards the long-term restoration of natural areas
  • Design and develop an ecotourism activity hub with supporting facilities – to include God’s Window Look-out and Skywalk Suspension footbridge
  • Design and build accommodation facilities and Conference Centre within the reserve
  • Game Ranching - Game meat processing and trade
  • Build a bio-industrial facility with factory plant capacity to handle a range of bio-prospecting ventures
  • Commercial IAP Biomass industrial facility
  • Training, skills development and capacity training

Investment Requirements

 

Investment Range Required
+R50 million

Type of Investment Required
Capital Expenditure
Infrastructure Funding
Working Capital

Funding Type for Financial Requirements
Equity, Debt, Grant

Non-Financial Requirements
Technical services
Capacity building

Value Proposition and Enablers

 

Value Proposition

  • Designated Biodiversity Stewardship site
  • Community-owned land, represented by four CPAs with no legal disputes
  • Proximity to Kruger National Park
  • Strong corporate governance structures with a Management Authority in place
  • Unique geological features e.g. the Three Rondavels, Pinnacle Rock and high species diversity with numerous endemic species
  • A strong customer network with an estimated 1 million tourists per year (pre-COVID)
  • The site is considered a critical biodiversity conservation area

 

Key  Enablers

  • Combat biodiversity loss (arising from invasive alien plants, veld fires, environmental degradation and poaching), and invest in sustainable natural environments
  • Development of BRCNR own accommodation facilities
  • Increase ecological infrastructure, upgrades and improvements to infrastructure
  • To create a BRCNR website and potentially include an e-commerce function to enable online bookings and synchronise with the current Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency website

Business Operations

Ecotourism

Bioprospecting

Primary Customers

 

Domestic and international tourists, high-end international & middle range hunters. (BRCNR  has historically attracted an estimated one million tourists per year (pre-COVID).

Active Business Entities

 

Management Authority
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency

About this Opportunity

 

The land is owned by the Blyde Community Property Associations, (the CPA). All parent farms and farm portions comprising the Blyde NR and the Lowveld plantations were claimed by four CPAs. These CPAs, collectively trade as Blyde Valley 04 CPA’s NPC, comprise:

  • Maorabjang Communal Property Association
  • Moletele Communal Property Association
  • Setlhare Communal Property Association
  • Mahubahuba a Bokone Communal Property Association

The BRCNR (also known as the Motlatse Canyon) holds one of the top ten largest canyons in the world. It boasts of cliffs that rise nearly 2,625 feet (800 meters) from the riverbed below.

The soon to be expanded BRCNR is composed of two historically different

 

management units, namely the Blyde Nature Reserve (Blyde NR) and the Lowveld Plantations, with different land-use and associated histories.

The BRCNR seeks investors and partners to develop and conserve the site’s unique natural (biodiversity, ecosystems and landscape) & cultural tourism, and bioprospecting offering.

Key highlights include:

  • Water supply for wildlife, biodiversity, wetlands and nearby communities
  • Conservation, heritage & tourism visitor centre, conference centre & accommodation facilities, game ranching
  • A major adventure ecotourism centre that includes God’s Window Look-out and the Skywalk suspension footbridge
  • Forestry plantations