| Summary: | The study aimed to investigate the stakeholder experiences and perception of the ban on trophy hunting in Botswana that was instituted between April 2014 and May 2019 with the view to inform a revised strategy for Botswana CBT approach. Two communities were selected for this research, namely Sankuyo village in northern Botswana and Mmadinare in the eastern part of the country. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with respondents (Community trust leaders, small businesses, and former hunting employees) in both communities and structured interviews with community members. The study found numerous challenges experienced since the ban on hunting. Communities experienced an increase in wildlife numbers that led to an escalation of the Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) and the destruction of raw materials used by craft traders. The communities further bemoaned the lack of involvement in decision-making due to increased bureaucratic challenges. There is also a loss of revenue, regulatory impediments, and problems in the relationship with current ecotourism operators in Sankuyo, where ecotourism is practiced. The study, therefore, recommended a five-phase strategy that articulates the process and conditions needed in facilitating a CBT project. Furthermore, the study identified seven conditions that will enable the environment in CBT to bring about sustainability. The paper discusses the strategy, and its implications are that; while it is in the communities’ court to align with the strategy’s facilitation process, there is a need for authorities, on the other hand, to address issues identified to enable a conducive environment for sustainable community natural resource utilisation and conservation to occur.
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