Niël Terblanché
The Poverty-Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia (POSCCIN) project has distributed over N$31 million in grants to conservancies in the Kunene region.
This effort, led by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) and the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), with German government support, aims to mitigate human-wildlife conflict while promoting local livelihoods.
The grants were handed over in Opuwo on Friday by Pohamba Shifeta, the minister of environment, forestry, and tourism.
He said the Kunene region is facing increasing challenges as both wildlife and human populations grow.
“Predator attacks on livestock, competition for water resources, and destruction of crops by wildlife have intensified human-wildlife conflict, threatening both conservation efforts and the livelihoods of rural communities,” he said.
According to Shifeta, the grants are aimed at mitigating these issues through targeted projects, including the construction of predator-proof kraals, the deployment of lion collars, the installation of early warning towers, and the upgrading of water points to reduce competition between humans and elephants.
“Kunene is a unique region, home to desert-adapted elephants, lions, and rhinos, making it vital to both our national and international biodiversity goals,” he said.
He added that Namibia’s conservation success has resulted in rising numbers of iconic species, which, coupled with a growing human population and climate change, has escalated the incidences of human-wildlife conflict.
Shifeta said the grants will fund the construction of 55 predator-proof kraals across various conservancies in the region, designed to protect livestock from predators like lions and hyenas.
In addition, 38 lion collars have been procured for tracking purposes, providing valuable data to conservationists.
Early warning towers, another key initiative funded by the grants, will help prevent surprise wildlife encounters by alerting communities to the presence of dangerous animals.
One of the standout features of the POSCCIN project is its focus on equipping local communities to take an active role in wildlife conservation.
A total of 142 SMART ULE phones have been provided to Community Game Guards (CGGs) and Lion Rangers for monitoring and reporting wildlife activity.
Additionally, 135 CGGs and 35 Elephant Rangers will receive uniforms and field equipment to support their work in mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
Water scarcity, particularly in the arid Kunene region, has been a major driver of human-wildlife conflict, as animals compete with humans for access to water sources.
To address this, the project has also funded the upgrading of 16 water points, which will include solar pumps, water tanks, and elephant protection walls.
These improvements are expected to reduce the frequency of encounters between humans and elephants, a common source of conflict.
Beyond conflict mitigation, the POSCCIN project also includes grants aimed at supporting the recovery of community-based tourism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several conservancies with tourism enterprises, including campsites and lodges, have been awarded grants for renovations and maintenance.
This is expected to boost tourism in the region, providing much-needed income for local communities.
The success of Namibia’s conservation efforts has often been attributed to its community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) approach, where local communities are actively involved in wildlife conservation.
Shifeta praised the Kunene communities for their stewardship of the environment and reminded them of the need for accountability and transparency in managing the grants.
“Let us hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability and responsibility,” he said.
The minister added that with the continued support of international partners such as the German government, the MEFT and CCFN are confident that the measures being implemented will not only reduce human-wildlife conflict but also enhance the livelihoods of rural communities in Kunene.
“The grants are part of a broader effort to ensure that Namibia’s wildlife conservation is sustainable and beneficial to the people who live closest to these natural resources,” he said.
