Namibia a trailblazer in rural conservation, says Malima

ENVIRONMENT Minister Philemon Malima says Namibia has become a recognised leader in Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBRNM).

Malima said the programme was now widely regarded as an innovative, people-oriented approach to conservation. “We have restored the link between conservation and rural development by enabling communal area farmers to derive a direct income from the sustainable use of wildlife and tourism activities,” he said.He made these remarks a reception to announce donations totalling N$162 million to three projects supporting rural conservancies in Namibia.Malima said there were now 31 registered conservancies on State land, representing 100 000 people and covering 75 000 square kilometres of land.In addition, almost 40 other communities were in the process of forming conservancies.”We have seen a strong recovery of wildlife in these conservancies, not only through the active protection given by the relevant communities, but also in areas where they formerly occurred,” said Malima.He noted that rural conservancies were also creating job opportunities and generating revenue for the rural poor.At the same occasion, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) representative in southern Africa, Dr Harrison Kojwang, said the support of governments and development partners was crucial for community-based resource management to prosper.Kojwang, who is now based in Harare, is the former Forestry Director in Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism.”We have restored the link between conservation and rural development by enabling communal area farmers to derive a direct income from the sustainable use of wildlife and tourism activities,” he said.He made these remarks a reception to announce donations totalling N$162 million to three projects supporting rural conservancies in Namibia.Malima said there were now 31 registered conservancies on State land, representing 100 000 people and covering 75 000 square kilometres of land.In addition, almost 40 other communities were in the process of forming conservancies.”We have seen a strong recovery of wildlife in these conservancies, not only through the active protection given by the relevant communities, but also in areas where they formerly occurred,” said Malima.He noted that rural conservancies were also creating job opportunities and generating revenue for the rural poor.At the same occasion, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) representative in southern Africa, Dr Harrison Kojwang, said the support of governments and development partners was crucial for community-based resource management to prosper.Kojwang, who is now based in Harare, is the former Forestry Director in Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism.