Nyae-Nyae hands out cash to its members

NAMIBIA’S much hailed programme through which rural communities can utilise and benefit from natural resources in their environment continues to deliver the goods.

Last month, the Nyae-Nyae conservancy – located in Otjozondjupa region – distributed money to its members. Lara Diez, the Director of the Nyae-Nyae Development Foundation of Namibia, says over 940 adult members each received N$300.She said the cash distribution took place over a period of one week in the conservancy’s 35 villages.She said the money represented part of the income the conservancy generated last year, mostly from trophy hunting.The remaining income was spent on running the conservancy, including a team to develop and protect water points for villages and wildife, and paying rangers to monitor game.”Part of the 2006 income has also been spent drilling a new game borehole.As a result, the stock of game is large, sustainable and enables the Nyae-Nyae to get an annual trophy-hunting quota, which generates an annual income for the community,” she said.The Manager of the Nyae-Nyae Conservancy, Kxao Moses //Oma, said the money distribution went smoothly and members were happy to receive the money.”We were also able to register new members at the same time.So, we now have a more accurate conservancy membership list,” he said.The Nyae-Nyae conservancy was registered in 1998 and became independent of donor funding in 2002.It covers an area of 9 000 square kilometres.The Nyae-Nyae conservancy is home to the Ju/’hoansi San people.Communal conservancies are being created under the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.The programme, established in 1996, gives rights to communal area residents to form land units called conservancies.This grew out of a recognition that wildlife and other natural resources had disappeared in many areas and that measures to reverse the losses could enable communities to improve their lives.Today, there are 50 registered conservancies in Namibia.Lara Diez, the Director of the Nyae-Nyae Development Foundation of Namibia, says over 940 adult members each received N$300.She said the cash distribution took place over a period of one week in the conservancy’s 35 villages.She said the money represented part of the income the conservancy generated last year, mostly from trophy hunting.The remaining income was spent on running the conservancy, including a team to develop and protect water points for villages and wildife, and paying rangers to monitor game.”Part of the 2006 income has also been spent drilling a new game borehole.As a result, the stock of game is large, sustainable and enables the Nyae-Nyae to get an annual trophy-hunting quota, which generates an annual income for the community,” she said.The Manager of the Nyae-Nyae Conservancy, Kxao Moses //Oma, said the money distribution went smoothly and members were happy to receive the money.”We were also able to register new members at the same time.So, we now have a more accurate conservancy membership list,” he said.The Nyae-Nyae conservancy was registered in 1998 and became independent of donor funding in 2002.It covers an area of 9 000 square kilometres.The Nyae-Nyae conservancy is home to the Ju/’hoansi San people.Communal conservancies are being created under the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.The programme, established in 1996, gives rights to communal area residents to form land units called conservancies.This grew out of a recognition that wildlife and other natural resources had disappeared in many areas and that measures to reverse the losses could enable communities to improve their lives.Today, there are 50 registered conservancies in Namibia.