Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Namibia is home to the largest remaining cheetah population and largest population of free-roaming black rhino. 20 State Protected Areas cover 138,749 km 2 , approximately 17 per cent of Namibia’s land surface [ ] 164 Conserving and sustainably utilizing biodiversity for poverty alleviation The conservation of biodiversity, and particularly its sustainable utilization, is promoted in Namibia as an engine and enabler for poverty alleviation and economic growth, particularly in rural areas. This is largely based on the fast-growing tourism sector, which has opened up opportunities for rural communities to engage in tourism-related concessions such as accommodation facilities, conserva- tion hunting operations and the sale of indigenous natural products. The Community-Based Natural Re- sources Management (CBNRM) Pro- gramme, which has devolved rights over wildlife and forest resources to local communities, has been a re- markable achievement. Since the first communal conservancy was gazetted in 1998, the programme has expand- ed to cover approximately 20 per cent of the country’s landmass through a network of 83 communal conservan- cies and 32 community forests. The programme has placed rural com- munities at the centre of biodiversity management and has resulted in in- creasing populations of iconic species such as elephant, free-roaming lion and black rhino. The programme is based on three pillars: • Institutional development: good governance creates the basis for resource management and the equitable distribution of returns • Natural resource management: innovative resource management enables biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of wildlife and plant resources • Business, enterprises and live- lihoods: incentive-based con- servation approaches enable an expanding range of rural livelihood options. It is estimated that the Programme has contributed almost US$ 0.4 billion to Namibia’s net national income and has generated employment for an esti- mated 853 people involved in commu- nal conservancy management. By the end of 2016, 53 joint venture tourism enterprises with over 1,000 employ- ees, and 55 conservation hunting concessions with over 300 employ- ees, were operational in communal conservancy areas. A further 1,284 indigenous plant harvesters and 570 craft producers were being employed in communal conservancy areas. N amibia is blessed with exceptional natural resources and an impressive variety of species and habitats. It is one of the few dryland countries in the world with internationally recognized biodiversity hotspots. Approximately 43.5 per cent of landmass is classified as being under conservation management, through: protected areas on state land; communal conservancies; freehold conservancies and private game reserves; tourism concessions; and community forests. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are of particular importance to the tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors which, alongside mining, form the basis of the economy. Around 70 per cent of the population also depends on the natural resource base for income, food, medicinal needs, fuel and shelter. A 2017 study estimated that the annual value of nature in Namibia was approximately US$ 0.9 billion or 9 per cent of GDP. Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namib Desert, Namibia Luca Galuzzi, Source: Wikimedia Commons Namibia