N$31m for Kunene conservancies
Mitigate human-wildlife conflict
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), in collaboration with the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), officially handed over grants valued at approximately N$31 million to communal conservancies in the Kunene Region last week.The grants, which have been financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank, will be used to implement critical measures from the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Action Plans (HWCMAPs), which address the unique challenges faced by communities living alongside wildlife.
Community members living in the Kunene Region are among some of the most affected by human-wildlife conflict incidences involving a wide range of species such as lions, elephants, hyenas, and leopards. These incidences include loss of livestock, crops, infrastructure and in some cases the regrettable loss of human life.
Beneficiaries
As part of ongoing efforts to protect both wildlife and local communities in the Kunene Region, the following infrastructure, equipment, and uniforms – acquired via the “Poverty-Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia” (POSCCIN) Project – were handed over:
• Predator-proof kraals to protect livestock from predators.
• Lion collars to help conservationists monitor lions’ movements and behaviour to alert communities and reduce human-lion conflict.
• Early warning towers that provide advance notice of potential wildlife threats to local communities.
• Trail cameras to monitor wildlife activity and gather data on species presence and their behaviour.
• Water infrastructure providing alternative water sources for communities and wildlife.
• SMART ULE phones to assist with wildlife monitoring and performance tracking.
• Uniforms and field equipment to support Elephant Rangers and Community Game Guards.
Grants
Furthermore, communal conservancies with tourism enterprises have received Business Continuity Grants under the COVID Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Facility (CRRRF) to support tourism recovery via the upgrading of existing tourism infrastructure.
To recognise the outstanding efforts of Community Lion Rangers in mitigating human-lion conflict in the wider Kunene Region, four Lion Rangers were presented with awards as a token of appreciation for their dedication to conservation.