Namibia’s national parks get a World Bank boost

THE Ministry of Environment and Tourism has received a US$8,2 million grant (about N$50 million) from the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility (GEF) for its Strengthening of Protected Areas Network (Span) project.

The grant agreement was signed in Windhoek last week by representatives of the National Planning Commission, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry. In 2004, the Ministry of Environment received US$350 000 (about N$2,2 million) from the GEF for formulating the project.Environment and Tourism Permanent Secretary Dr Malan Lindeque said the MET is determined to significantly improve national parks management.Lindeque said his Ministry’s ultimate goal is biodiversity conservation while at the same time unlocking the economic potential of national parks for local development and poverty alleviation.In addition to the US$8,2 million from the GEF, Government has also secured funding from the German development agency GTZ, UNDP, USAID and international conservation organisations such as Conservation International.The Ministry of Environment and Tourism says national parks are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation and vital to the tourism industry, which is one of the mainstays of the national economy.Furthermore, parks have largely untapped potential to significantly alleviate poverty and encourage community development in rural areas.According to an economics study commissioned by the Ministry last year, the direct contribution of park-related tourism is 1,7 to 4,4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).Adding indirect contributions such as employment at lodges adjacent to parks, and the agricultural and other products lodges buy, the figure could increase to 3,1 to 6,3 per cent of GDP.If parks management is improved and tourism further developed, there is a strong possibility of a further increase in the contribution parks can make to the national economy, the study said.The implementation phase of the Span project starts this month and runs until 2011.In 2004, the Ministry of Environment received US$350 000 (about N$2,2 million) from the GEF for formulating the project.Environment and Tourism Permanent Secretary Dr Malan Lindeque said the MET is determined to significantly improve national parks management.Lindeque said his Ministry’s ultimate goal is biodiversity conservation while at the same time unlocking the economic potential of national parks for local development and poverty alleviation.In addition to the US$8,2 million from the GEF, Government has also secured funding from the German development agency GTZ, UNDP, USAID and international conservation organisations such as Conservation International.The Ministry of Environment and Tourism says national parks are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation and vital to the tourism industry, which is one of the mainstays of the national economy.Furthermore, parks have largely untapped potential to significantly alleviate poverty and encourage community development in rural areas.According to an economics study commissioned by the Ministry last year, the direct contribution of park-related tourism is 1,7 to 4,4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).Adding indirect contributions such as employment at lodges adjacent to parks, and the agricultural and other products lodges buy, the figure could increase to 3,1 to 6,3 per cent of GDP.If parks management is improved and tourism further developed, there is a strong possibility of a further increase in the contribution parks can make to the national economy, the study said.The implementation phase of the Span project starts this month and runs until 2011.