Conservancies expand reach to communities
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
Namibian conservancies funnelled more than N$9 billion into Namibia's national income over the past 30 years.
In 2019, the contribution to the net national income through community conservation was around N$933 million, and the total contribution from 1990 amounts to N$9.743 billion.
Community conservation, encompassing 20.2% of Namibia's land and over 220 000 rural residents, is contributing to the national economy, rural development and to poverty alleviation.
This is according to the latest figures representing the state of community conservation for 2019, published on the Community Conservation Namibia website. The annual report for 2019 has not been published yet.
Community conservancies facilitated 4 203 jobs in 2019, while community conservation and private sector partners generated N$155.6 million in returns and benefits that same year.
Of this, tourism generated N$105.5 million and conservation hunting N$34.5 million, which included 473.9 kg of game meat distributed to conservancy residents valued at N$11.3 million. Furthermore, indigenous products generated N$2.1 million and miscellaneous income totalled N$1.9 million. Conservancy residents earned a total cash income of N$85 million from enterprise wages, of which N$53.6 million was from joint-venture tourism, N$21.9 million from conservancies, N$3.3 million from conservation hunting and N$6.1 million from small- and medium-sized enterprises.
Meanwhile, conservancy residents earned cash income of N$1.6 million from indigenous plants and N$1.4 million from crafts.
A total of N$17.6 million in cash benefits was distributed to conservancy residents and used to support community projects. The total cash income and in-kind benefits generated in conservancies - including the Kyaramacan Association - grew from less than N$1 million in 1998 to more than N$155 million in 2019 To offset losses to farmers from wildlife, the environment ministry has paid over N$3 million to conservancies from the Game Products Trust Fund since 2015 to the end of 2019. In addition, a number of conservancies have stated in their financial reports that they have set aside over N$4.3 million for human-wildlife conflict offset payments to their members. At the end of 2019, there were 86 conservancies, including the Kyaramacan Association. The area covered by conservancies and community forests has rapidly grown to 180 083 square kilometres, which is 58.7% of all communal land. At the end of 2019, there were an estimated 222 802 people living in conservancies, with another 6 526 members of the Kyaramacan Association living in Bwabwata National Park. At independence in 1990, there were no registered community conservation areas, freehold conservancies did not exist, and a mere 14% of land was under recognised conservation management.
Conservancies did, however, suffer last year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures, with tourism taking a knock and hunting activities also being impacted.
WINDHOEK
Namibian conservancies funnelled more than N$9 billion into Namibia's national income over the past 30 years.
In 2019, the contribution to the net national income through community conservation was around N$933 million, and the total contribution from 1990 amounts to N$9.743 billion.
Community conservation, encompassing 20.2% of Namibia's land and over 220 000 rural residents, is contributing to the national economy, rural development and to poverty alleviation.
This is according to the latest figures representing the state of community conservation for 2019, published on the Community Conservation Namibia website. The annual report for 2019 has not been published yet.
Community conservancies facilitated 4 203 jobs in 2019, while community conservation and private sector partners generated N$155.6 million in returns and benefits that same year.
Of this, tourism generated N$105.5 million and conservation hunting N$34.5 million, which included 473.9 kg of game meat distributed to conservancy residents valued at N$11.3 million. Furthermore, indigenous products generated N$2.1 million and miscellaneous income totalled N$1.9 million. Conservancy residents earned a total cash income of N$85 million from enterprise wages, of which N$53.6 million was from joint-venture tourism, N$21.9 million from conservancies, N$3.3 million from conservation hunting and N$6.1 million from small- and medium-sized enterprises.
Meanwhile, conservancy residents earned cash income of N$1.6 million from indigenous plants and N$1.4 million from crafts.
A total of N$17.6 million in cash benefits was distributed to conservancy residents and used to support community projects. The total cash income and in-kind benefits generated in conservancies - including the Kyaramacan Association - grew from less than N$1 million in 1998 to more than N$155 million in 2019 To offset losses to farmers from wildlife, the environment ministry has paid over N$3 million to conservancies from the Game Products Trust Fund since 2015 to the end of 2019. In addition, a number of conservancies have stated in their financial reports that they have set aside over N$4.3 million for human-wildlife conflict offset payments to their members. At the end of 2019, there were 86 conservancies, including the Kyaramacan Association. The area covered by conservancies and community forests has rapidly grown to 180 083 square kilometres, which is 58.7% of all communal land. At the end of 2019, there were an estimated 222 802 people living in conservancies, with another 6 526 members of the Kyaramacan Association living in Bwabwata National Park. At independence in 1990, there were no registered community conservation areas, freehold conservancies did not exist, and a mere 14% of land was under recognised conservation management.
Conservancies did, however, suffer last year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures, with tourism taking a knock and hunting activities also being impacted.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article