usaid/nambia environmental threats and opportunities assessment

TOURISM AND WILDLIFE
Tourism in Namibia grew rapidly between 1990 and 2006 (an estimated 14% per annum in the first six
years after independence, trailing off to an average of between 5 and 9% per annum thereafter).
Comprehensive tourist arrival statistics are now available from the Namibia Tourism Board for 2009.
Overall tourist numbers (using the international WTO definition of what constitutes a tourist) rose
slightly to 980,173 compared to 931,111 in 2008. The vast majority of these tourists came from Angola
and South Africa with increasing numbers from other African countries – in total some 723,760 (about
73%) tourists came from countries in Africa. A total of 206,494 came from European countries with
Germany (81,974) and the UK (28,039) the two largest countries of origin by some way.
FISHERIES
The marine fishing and fish-processing-on-board sector has declined in recent years as a result of adverse
natural environmental conditions and reduced landings. A decline of 12.3% in 2008 as compared to a
decline of 19.0% recorded in 2007 has been recorded.
MANUFACTURING
Namibia’s meat processing and onshore fish processing sectors are indirectly linked to environmental
(particularly climatic) conditions and, as a result, can fluctuate dramatically from one year to the next.
Thus, the real value added by the manufacturing sector declined by 2.6% in 2008 as compared to an
increase of 8.5% in 2007. In 2008, meat processing declined by 8% due to a drop in the number of
livestock marketed. The 18% decline of onshore fish processing is attributed to an increase in input costs
and low landings recorded in pelagic, demersal, and deepwater fisheries.
POPULATION GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION
In 2008, Namibia’s population was estimated at 2 million. The population growth rate – currently at 2.5%
per annum – is slowly declining (NPC 2008 a). Sixty percent of the population lives in six northern
regions of the country (Figure 1). Approximately 70% of the population live in rural areas.
B. POVERTY AND EMPLOYMENT
1. INCOME AND HUMAN POVERTY IN NAMIBIA
Poverty can be described in terms of income poverty and/or human poverty. Whilst income poverty is
presented purely in financial terms, human poverty pertains to life expectancy, educational attainment,
and income.
With respect to income poverty alone, an estimated 41% of Namibians could be classified as either poor
or severely poor in 2003/2004 (NPC 2006). Furthermore:
The incidence of poor and severely poor households in rural areas was more than triple the
incidence in urban areas.
The highest incidence of income poverty is found in the Kavango region (home to
approximately 7% of Namibia’s population) where 56% are poor and 37% are severely poor.
More than 60% of all poor households in Namibia are found in the combined northern regions
of Kavango, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, and Omusati where the majority of people depend on
subsistence farming for their livelihood.
16 USAID/NAMIBIA ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT