usaid/nambia environmental threats and opportunities assessment

RECOMMENDATION: LAND-USE ZONATION
Encourage land-use zonation based on comparative advantages of the land (e.g. presence of attractive
scenery, wildlife populations, opportunity for mixed wildlife/livestock farming, presence of valuable
minerals) within the context of climate variability and risks such as drought and floods. A multi-sector
approach to planning and decision-making, and the consistent use of safeguard tools such as Impact
Assessment needs encouragement.
RECOMMENDATION: ADDRESS ISSUES RELATING TO THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
Support the MLR with focused policy/legislation revision, so that the land policy does not further
exacerbate land degradation and socio-economic decline.
RECOMMENDATION: BUILD CAPACITY IN MET AND IMPROVE POLITICAL WILL REGARDING EAS
There is a strong need to improve capacity within the MET with respect to reviewing and guiding EIAs
and to showcase the value of environment assessment (EA) and strategic environmental assessment
(SEA) as a sustainable development tool.
As Namibia experiences more environmental variability and more aridity, tourism and wildlife-based
enterprises should gradually replace livestock farming. As a result, the MET should become one of the
most important ministries and will need increasing support with respect to improving human resources
and capacity for sustainable planning and cross-sectoral/integrated management. Ultimately, the GRN
(especially MET) needs to start thinking about wildlife (both inside and outside of National Parks) in
production and economic terms and not simply conservation terms.
RECOMMENDATION: PROMOTE INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE FARMING
Despite Namibia’s climatic and other geographical constraints, farming is still vitally important to the
livelihoods of the majority of rural Namibians who depend upon crop cultivation and livestock
ownership for food security and currency.
Lobby for consistent implementation of the Drought Relief Policy – and assist where possible in
this regard.
Improve and up-scale human wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation efforts. In particular:
o
More effort needed to find ways of preventing and coping with HWC – particularly greater
devolution of rights and responsibilities at the local level, combined with farmer training in HWC
mitigation measures.
o More interaction needed with agriculture extension officers so that they are better equipped
to help address HWC.
Provide more support to conservation farming initiatives (e.g. minimum tillage of rainfed
cropping areas) and greater publicity of successful pilot projects.
The issue of compartmental fencing for veterinary control purposes must be addressed. Efforts
should be made to promote commodity-based trade of livestock products, which addresses
disease-control through meat processing (i.e., deboning, chilling, etc), rather than
compartmentalization. This would reduce the need for veterinary fences and open up large
landscapes across southern Africa for re-establishment of traditional seasonal
movement/migration patterns which will become even more important under climatic
conditions that are likely to become increasingly arid.
80 USAID/NAMIBIA ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT