Kunene boasts with largest conservancy area
Communal conservancies continue to expand, increasing the number of people who benefit from natural resource use.
More than 59 000 people live in conservancies in the Kunene Region, which has the largest area coverage of communal conservancies in Namibia.
Conservancies cover an area of 58 943 square kilometres in the Kunene Region and a total of 59 207 people live in these conservancies.
According to the 2017 State of Conservation in Namibia report, 79.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies, while 81.7% of communal area residents live in conservancies.
The Khomas Region has no conservancies.
The report says community conservation continues to expand, increasing the number of people who benefit from natural resource use, as well as the area under conservation.
“Increased landscape connectivity created by new conservancies across Namibia is vital to ensuring environmental resilience and countering the impacts of climate change.
“These developments are major contributors to Namibia's efforts to fulfil its constitutional commitment to safeguard the environment while at the same time achieving economic growth and rural development,” it reads.
Following on the heels of the Kunene Region is Otjozondjupa, where conservancies cover 41 059 square kilometres.
The region has 36 991 people living in conservancies. According to the report 100% of communal land in that region is covered by conservancies, while it also has 100% of communal residents living in conservancies. Conservancies cover 18 404 square kilometres in the Omaheke Region, with a total of 6 750 people living there. In the region conservancies cover 42.5% of communal land while 21.9% of communal residents live in conservancies. In the Erongo Region conservancies cover 17 289 square kilometres and there are 6 842 people living in them. The report says 91.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies and 55.8% of communal area residents live in conservancies.
Conservancies in the Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana and Oshikoto regions together cover 13 095 square kilometres.
There are 51 244 people living in these conservancies.
These conservancies cover a mere 24.7% of communal land while only 5.2% of the regions' communal residents live in conservancies.
In the Karas Region there are 4 558 people living in conservancies that cover 6 550 square kilometres. This represents 41.7% of communal land that is covered by communal land and 32.8% of communal residents that live in conservancies.
The Zambezi Region has 32 770 people living in conservancies. The area covered by conservancies in the region is only 4 092 square kilometres, representing 39.4% of communal land.
A total of 33% of communal residents live in conservancies.
Conservancies cover 1 424 square kilometres of the Hardap Region and have a population of only 812 people.
This means that 18.4% of communal land in Hardap is covered by conservancies and 10.5% of communal residents live in conservancies.
The Kavango East and West regions have the smallest area coverage of conservancies at 1 196 square kilometres, and 17 126 people live there. According to the report 5.7% of the regions' communal land is covered by conservancies and only 2% of communal residents live in conservancies in these regions.
The report says in the communal areas of some regions, the entire population lives in conservancies, which show great variations in size, population density and land-use activities.
“The diversity and abundance of game and other natural resources differs significantly, influenced by differences in climate, topography, soils and water availability.”
It says that the relationship of conservancies to urban areas and infrastructure development also varies.
In the north-central regions, more than 40 000 people live in conservancies, although this represents only around 5% of people in the densely populated area, many of whom live in urban centres. Other regions have only small communal areas, or none at all.
The report adds that only five conservancies in Namibia are less than 100 square kilometres in size.
Nine of the 83 registered conservancies are between 5 000 and 9 000 square kilometres, which is between 65 and 120 times the size of an average commercial farm in Namibia.
ELLANIE SMIT
Conservancies cover an area of 58 943 square kilometres in the Kunene Region and a total of 59 207 people live in these conservancies.
According to the 2017 State of Conservation in Namibia report, 79.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies, while 81.7% of communal area residents live in conservancies.
The Khomas Region has no conservancies.
The report says community conservation continues to expand, increasing the number of people who benefit from natural resource use, as well as the area under conservation.
“Increased landscape connectivity created by new conservancies across Namibia is vital to ensuring environmental resilience and countering the impacts of climate change.
“These developments are major contributors to Namibia's efforts to fulfil its constitutional commitment to safeguard the environment while at the same time achieving economic growth and rural development,” it reads.
Following on the heels of the Kunene Region is Otjozondjupa, where conservancies cover 41 059 square kilometres.
The region has 36 991 people living in conservancies. According to the report 100% of communal land in that region is covered by conservancies, while it also has 100% of communal residents living in conservancies. Conservancies cover 18 404 square kilometres in the Omaheke Region, with a total of 6 750 people living there. In the region conservancies cover 42.5% of communal land while 21.9% of communal residents live in conservancies. In the Erongo Region conservancies cover 17 289 square kilometres and there are 6 842 people living in them. The report says 91.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies and 55.8% of communal area residents live in conservancies.
Conservancies in the Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana and Oshikoto regions together cover 13 095 square kilometres.
There are 51 244 people living in these conservancies.
These conservancies cover a mere 24.7% of communal land while only 5.2% of the regions' communal residents live in conservancies.
In the Karas Region there are 4 558 people living in conservancies that cover 6 550 square kilometres. This represents 41.7% of communal land that is covered by communal land and 32.8% of communal residents that live in conservancies.
The Zambezi Region has 32 770 people living in conservancies. The area covered by conservancies in the region is only 4 092 square kilometres, representing 39.4% of communal land.
A total of 33% of communal residents live in conservancies.
Conservancies cover 1 424 square kilometres of the Hardap Region and have a population of only 812 people.
This means that 18.4% of communal land in Hardap is covered by conservancies and 10.5% of communal residents live in conservancies.
The Kavango East and West regions have the smallest area coverage of conservancies at 1 196 square kilometres, and 17 126 people live there. According to the report 5.7% of the regions' communal land is covered by conservancies and only 2% of communal residents live in conservancies in these regions.
The report says in the communal areas of some regions, the entire population lives in conservancies, which show great variations in size, population density and land-use activities.
“The diversity and abundance of game and other natural resources differs significantly, influenced by differences in climate, topography, soils and water availability.”
It says that the relationship of conservancies to urban areas and infrastructure development also varies.
In the north-central regions, more than 40 000 people live in conservancies, although this represents only around 5% of people in the densely populated area, many of whom live in urban centres. Other regions have only small communal areas, or none at all.
The report adds that only five conservancies in Namibia are less than 100 square kilometres in size.
Nine of the 83 registered conservancies are between 5 000 and 9 000 square kilometres, which is between 65 and 120 times the size of an average commercial farm in Namibia.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article