Namibian forests on the decline

Namibia has lost nearly one-fifth of its forest area over the past thirty years.

This is according to Gosia Lachut, deputy head of mission, delegation of the European Union to Namibia.

She was speaking at the Project End Conference for Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Kavango-Zambezi Regions in Namibia Project.

After three years of implementation, the project is set to conclude in December.

Lachut said more than 60% of the Namibian population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture and forestry resources to maintain their livelihoods.

“Particularly in communal areas, communities rely on subsistence farming and use firewood as their main source of energy.”

Worrying trends

She, however, said trends in the Namibian forest sector are of concern at the moment.

The loss of forest area in Namibia is due to a number of reasons, such as wildfires, clearance of land for agriculture purposes, and illegal harvesting.

“The damages are massive for the local communities, the economy and the environment.”

She said the conference, therefore, provides them with an opportunity to take stock of what has been accomplished, identify objectives, and determine where there is still a need for action in the near future."

Essential

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta emphasised the significance of trees and forests.

“Trees and forests provide numerous ecosystem services that are essential for our survival.”

He noted that trees produce oxygen, filter pollutants from the air, reduce water runoff, regulate flooding, provide habitat for wildlife, and fight climate change.

“They also prevent soil erosion, reduce noise pollution, provide shade, and improve water quality.”

He noted that trees provide economic benefits, such as timber and other forest products, and support job creation in wood-based industries.

“Our forests are facing multiple challenges, the chief of which is deforestation. However, we are encouraged that Namibia is making efforts to reduce the rate of forest loss through the implementation of measures such as forest protection, tree planting programmes, and wildfire management.”

He said the ministry is carrying out research on how to make use of their own native tree species with a view to making seedlings available for communities.

Community involvement

Furthermore, the ministry has been implementing the community-based natural resources management programme in forest management, which saw 46 community forests being established across Namibia in which communities are practicing sustainable forest management.

“Forest-based actions will help to further advance the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for Namibia – an ambitious roadmap for Namibia to fight climate change through adaptation and mitigation programmes.”

Shifeta said well-managed forests offer nature-friendly solutions to most of the global challenges faced, including climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss.

“I am aware that our communities are not yet fully benefitting from the resources in their surroundings.”

To this end, government has enacted the Access to Biological and Genetic Resources (ABS) and Associated Traditional Knowledge Act and an ABS office.

“I am also encouraged by efforts for value addition to timber and non-timber forest products in order to draw maximum benefits for our people.”

The project was funded by the European Union (EU) (2020–2023) and implemented by the Hanns Seidel Foundation Namibia together with the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN).