Govt to give loans to emerging wildlife farmers

FORMERLY disadvantaged farmers are being given the opportunity to farm with wildlife.

Cabinet announced in Windhoek yesterday that it had given the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) approval to introduce a loan scheme to provide breeding stock of wildlife species to emerging farmers on freehold or resettled farms. The Ministry says this initiative will form part of its rare species management programme.This week Cabinet also endorsed a decision taken on June 8 for a wildlife auction to raise funds for conservation purposes.Government expects to make approximately N$4,5 million from the sale of these animals.Wildlife farming is being viewed as a means to supplement traditional forms of land use and to diversify the use of natural resources on farm lands, but many farmers simply do not have the capital to purchase wildlife for restocking purposes.The MET’s Director of Scientific Services Pauline Lindeque said yesterday that guidelines for prospective participants in the programme were being developed and applications would be invited soon.Appropriate fencing would be a pre-requisite before recipients were provided with viable groups of breeding stock.Within a given time period the initial number of animals would be removed and the farmer would be left with the remainder.The number of animals which would be on loan would vary depending on the species but would typically range from 10 to 50.Most wildlife species can increase by 10 to 25 per cent within a year.”Although Namibia has made much progress conserving biodiversity through its national system of proclaimed protected areas, further efforts are needed to safeguard the integrity of natural habitats and to enhance the economic contribution from wildlife,” Minister of Information and Broadcasting Nangolo Mbumba told the media yesterday.Government says sufficient numbers of certain species are available in protected areas to be captured for sale, without affecting other forms of use.In certain cases there is a need to reduce numbers because of population growth and the need to balance the numbers to prevent overgrazing and competition for water and other resources.At the auction, for which a tentative date July 23 has been set, 10 roan antelope, 10 sable antelope, 20 disease-free buffalo, 15 tsessebe and 12 giraffe will be up for sale.Buyers will not be permitted to export the animals.The buffalo will be captured by MET next week for testing and to be quarantined until the auction.The other animals will be captured afterwards.The Ministry says this initiative will form part of its rare species management programme.This week Cabinet also endorsed a decision taken on June 8 for a wildlife auction to raise funds for conservation purposes.Government expects to make approximately N$4,5 million from the sale of these animals.Wildlife farming is being viewed as a means to supplement traditional forms of land use and to diversify the use of natural resources on farm lands, but many farmers simply do not have the capital to purchase wildlife for restocking purposes.The MET’s Director of Scientific Services Pauline Lindeque said yesterday that guidelines for prospective participants in the programme were being developed and applications would be invited soon.Appropriate fencing would be a pre-requisite before recipients were provided with viable groups of breeding stock.Within a given time period the initial number of animals would be removed and the farmer would be left with the remainder.The number of animals which would be on loan would vary depending on the species but would typically range from 10 to 50.Most wildlife species can increase by 10 to 25 per cent within a year.”Although Namibia has made much progress conserving biodiversity through its national system of proclaimed protected areas, further efforts are needed to safeguard the integrity of natural habitats and to enhance the economic contribution from wildlife,” Minister of Information and Broadcasting Nangolo Mbumba told the media yesterday.Government says sufficient numbers of certain species are available in protected areas to be captured for sale, without affecting other forms of use.In certain cases there is a need to reduce numbers because of population growth and the need to balance the numbers to prevent overgrazing and competition for water and other resources.At the auction, for which a tentative date July 23 has been set, 10 roan antelope, 10 sable antelope, 20 disease-free buffalo, 15 tsessebe and 12 giraffe will be up for sale.Buyers will not be permitted to export the animals.The buffalo will be captured by MET next week for testing and to be quarantined until the auction.The other animals will be captured afterwards.