Making the business case for biodiversity

You need to make a business case for biodiversity: what's your idea and how much money do you need? What are the costs, benefits, challenges and why should potential investors care?

Article, 11 May 2014

In the style of the TV programme 'Dragons' Den', Dineo Gaborekwe from the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism of Botswana, pitches the biodiversity business case for Botswana with the 'investors' looking on.

These videos were filmed during the first phase of the Mainstreaming biodiversity and development project, which worked with Botswana, Uganda, Namibia and the Seychelles. Watch the pitch and then the responses follow.

 

So did Dineo convince the investors?

 

Why do we need more elephants? Brian, 'Minister of Agriculture', doesn't see why he should support biodiversity policies when he's having to deal with damage to farmers' crops caused by wild animals.

 

Tough questions from James Oh dear, James is straight in there with 'Are you asking me to be a charitable organisation or are you asking us to invest?' And 'how do I know this is a safe investment?'

 

Can you be more specific? Jonathan isn't convinced that there is a case to support and wants to know what the specific returns of an investment might be.

 

Do you have the policies to support investment?  Juliane, 'Minister of Finance', wants to hear more about the Ministry of Environment's enabling framework and whether its policies will support Dineo's ideas for investment.

Decision time

Do you think Dineo should get some investment, and if so, which investor will back her project? It's not easy to make the perfect pitch, but with this example to call upon, you now stand a better chance of getting the details just right and making a compelling business case.