21% budget increase insufficient, Shifeta says
• Ministry will ‘make do with limited resources’
The N$725 million budget allocation is still not enough for all the ministry's programmes, Shifeta said recently.
Environment, forestry and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said the 21% budget increase his ministry received is not sufficient, but they will make do with the limited resources at their disposal.
During his budget motivation for the 2024/2025 financial year, Shifeta said the ministry has been allocated more than N$725 million. This is a 21% increase compared to the previous financial year.
He said while they are grateful for the substantive increase, it is still not sufficient to execute all their operational programmes.
“We shall continue to prioritise efficiency and ensure that we maximise positive impacts for our people and environment with the limited resources at our disposal.”
According to him, the ministry's management programme has been allocated over N$279 million.
Highlighting some of the key achievements and challenges under this programme, Shifeta said Namibia has an impressive network of protected areas.
Twenty state-run protected areas or national parks cover about 17% of country’s land surface, he noted.
“Protected areas continue to play an important role in conserving our wildlife, important habitats and landscapes, and they are the leading attraction for tourists visiting Namibia.”
Human-wildlife conflict
The ministry has stepped up the implementation of measures to reduce the impact of human-wildlife conflict, Shifeta said.
He said the ministry conducted human-wildlife awareness activities in all affected areas and provided training on human-wildlife conflict management to conservancies in the Kunene, Zambezi, Otjozondjupa, Oshana, Erongo, Omaheke, Oshikoto and Omusati regions.
Furthermore, the ministry trained 32 lion rangers and 172 game guards on human-wildlife conflict.
As part of efforts to mitigate the impact of human-wildlife conflict on farmers and communities, the ministry provided fencing materials to 390 farmers to deter elephants.
“We constructed 12 predator-proof kraals in the north central regions, 24 in Kunene, 35 in the Chobe landscape, 15 in the Kavango Transfrontier Conservation Area and three in the crocodile enclosures in the Zambezi Region.
Furthermore, 35 satellite collars were deployed for predators including lions, spotted hyena, leopards and crocodiles in the north-west and north-eastern regions.
The ministry also erected three early warning towers in the southern areas of Kunene, while two boreholes in the King Nehale conservancy were equipped with elephant protection walls and solar panels. The ministry maintained and cleaned 21 boreholes in Kunene and the north central regions and drilled two boreholes in the northern areas of Kunene.
During his budget motivation for the 2024/2025 financial year, Shifeta said the ministry has been allocated more than N$725 million. This is a 21% increase compared to the previous financial year.
He said while they are grateful for the substantive increase, it is still not sufficient to execute all their operational programmes.
“We shall continue to prioritise efficiency and ensure that we maximise positive impacts for our people and environment with the limited resources at our disposal.”
According to him, the ministry's management programme has been allocated over N$279 million.
Highlighting some of the key achievements and challenges under this programme, Shifeta said Namibia has an impressive network of protected areas.
Twenty state-run protected areas or national parks cover about 17% of country’s land surface, he noted.
“Protected areas continue to play an important role in conserving our wildlife, important habitats and landscapes, and they are the leading attraction for tourists visiting Namibia.”
Human-wildlife conflict
The ministry has stepped up the implementation of measures to reduce the impact of human-wildlife conflict, Shifeta said.
He said the ministry conducted human-wildlife awareness activities in all affected areas and provided training on human-wildlife conflict management to conservancies in the Kunene, Zambezi, Otjozondjupa, Oshana, Erongo, Omaheke, Oshikoto and Omusati regions.
Furthermore, the ministry trained 32 lion rangers and 172 game guards on human-wildlife conflict.
As part of efforts to mitigate the impact of human-wildlife conflict on farmers and communities, the ministry provided fencing materials to 390 farmers to deter elephants.
“We constructed 12 predator-proof kraals in the north central regions, 24 in Kunene, 35 in the Chobe landscape, 15 in the Kavango Transfrontier Conservation Area and three in the crocodile enclosures in the Zambezi Region.
Furthermore, 35 satellite collars were deployed for predators including lions, spotted hyena, leopards and crocodiles in the north-west and north-eastern regions.
The ministry also erected three early warning towers in the southern areas of Kunene, while two boreholes in the King Nehale conservancy were equipped with elephant protection walls and solar panels. The ministry maintained and cleaned 21 boreholes in Kunene and the north central regions and drilled two boreholes in the northern areas of Kunene.
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