National parks vital for biodiversity conservation – Shifeta

NAMIBIA’S national parks are a vital tool for conserving the country’s biodiversity, says environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta.

“By managing parks well, their irreplaceable assets and unlimited potential will be conserved for future generations.

In addition, every year Namibia’s national parks draw large numbers of tourists to the country, generating employment and stimulating development nationwide,” said Shifeta.

He said national parks also provide a unique opportunity to benefit local communities through rural development while providing for species and habitat conservation, research, education and recreation opportunities.

Shifeta was speaking at the inauguration of the new park station in the Buffalo Core Area in the Bwabwata National Park in Kavango East recently. The new park station was constructed at a cost of N$32 million under Namibia’s long-term joint Development of Namibia Parks programme, with the German government.

He said Namibia’s tourism is highly dependent on wildlife and represents one of the country’s economic pillars.

“Wildlife, therefore, contributes significantly to the livelihoods of local communities in rural areas,” he said.

According to Shifeta, the Bwabwata National Park is very special because it supports a large number of wildlife and a large number of people which allows conservation and rural community development.

Through funding to Namparks by the German Development Cooperation through the German Development Bank (KfW), new park stations were also constructed at Shuno, Ngenda and Susuwe in Mudumu National Park and at Oranjemund, Lüderitz, Rosh Pina and Aus in the Tsau //Khaeb National Park.

Each new station provides modern houses for staff, an attractive entrance gate and visitor reception, offices, workshops, electrical and water supplies.

At the same event, German minister of economic cooperation and development Gerd Muller pledged German support for Namibia’s tourism sector of N$167 million to improve infrastructure and the living standard of people living in the Bwabwata National Park.

Muller said the money will be used to support communities living in the area because it is not easy to live in areas like Babwata National Park.

He said the world can learn from Namibia’s protected area because the country is a model of how nature conservation, economic interest and popular participation can come together. Muller acknowledged Namibia is the first country in Africa to include the protection of wildlife in its Constitution for the benefit of the people and almost 45% of the land is protected or being used sustainably.

“A third of the world’s black rhinos are found in Namibia’s 20 national parks. Wild dogs and elephants live and move through your parks which translate that sustainable protection of natural resources means giving the people the chance to share the benefits,” he said.

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