Anton Esterhuizen, a facilitator for IRDNC, said at the quarterly meeting of conservancies at Wereldsend recently that various projects could be completed with the approximately N$750 000 of funding received from the GPTR.

The projects ranged from building alternative water points to conservancy members attending training workshops.

According to Esterhuizen five alternative water points for elephants were built at Orupuka, Okangundumba and Ehirovipuka conservancies.

The project employed 32 community members who earned salaries totalling N$32 000.

Raleigh International volunteers also assisted with the building of the dams.

The funds were further used to buy three Lister engines and the installation of an electric fence.

Training was also provided to community members on the installation and maintenance of the electric fence.

The fence is used to protect gardens from wild animals.

Esterhuizen reported that three radios were installed to enable isolated conservancies to communicate with the outside world.

The last project was training provided to 65 people at four workshops on elephant ecology and data monitoring.

Esterhuizen said an outstanding project was the building of a campsite at Ehirovipuka, after which they would apply for new funding from GPTR again.

The money received is managed by the Namibia Nature Foundation on behalf of the conservancies.

A maximum amount of N$300 000 is awarded per conservancy.

MET INPUT

Elias Amunime, Chief Warden of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism's Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBRNM) programme, said at the same meeting that the GPTR funds came from the legal sale of ivory and from trophy hunting concessions.

He said Government's policy on compensation for problem animals was not to pay direct compensation for damage cause by wildlife.

He said instead measures have been put in place in recognition of the problem.

The first one is to promote the formation of conservancies to enable communities to address to problem together.

The second measure is applying for funds from the GPTF, which aims at supporting wildlife community conservation and community development programmes.

The third and last measure is to make a problem animal available for trophy hunting when necessary.

Amunime said as the primary conflict between wildlife and communities concerns access to water, his Ministry has taken various measures to alleviate this problem.

He said subsidies for fuel for waterpumps are available, communities were assisted to protect water installations and gardens and alternative water points were created for the exclusive use of wildlife.

A senior MET official confirmed reports that three water points were being built in the Hoanib river for elephants.

Ben Beytel, Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, said the creation of game waters was a priority in the north-west (Kunene region).

The project resulted from a directive from President Sam Nujoma.

While concern was expressed over the location of the three water points, Beytel said the locations were first discussed with the local communities and carried their full support.

He said the one water point close to Sesfontein was specifically built there to draw the elephants away from the village.

Rural Water Supply is doing the drilling free of charge, while the money for the installation, which is currently being done, would come from the GPTR, Beytel said.

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