Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Table 3-2: Priority issues to be addressed during the implementation of the plan
No. Component Key issues
1 Policy, planning and
strategy
2 Dialogue,
communication and
networking
3
Research, data
management and
participatory planning
4 Hydrology & water
resources
5 Wildlife management
6 Sustainable tourism
and CBNRM
1.1 There is need to establish a DEA office in Ngamiland and strengthen its capacity to coordinate and
monitor the implementation of the ODMP.
1.2 There is need to harmonize legislation and policies applicable to the ODRS.
1.3 There is need to ensure that plans, programmes and development activities in the ODRS are guided
by a common and shared vision for the ODRS.
1.4 There is need to facilitate the approval of Draft National Wetlands Policy and Strategy by Parliament.
1.5 There is need to establish the non-use economic values for the ODRS
2.1 There is need to establish effective communication amongst stakeholders at all levels.
2.2 Cross-cutting issues such as HIV/AIDS, Gender and Poverty need to be mainstreamed into the
ODMP process
3.1 Difficulties in obtaining, updating and accessing existing information for resource planning and
management in the ODRS need to be addressed.
3.2 Uncertainties about stakeholders continuing to meaningfully participate in the implementation of the
ODMP need to be addressed.
3.3 Research in the ODRS needs to be coordinated.
4.1 The need to manage channel blockages to sustain communities access to livelihood activities
4.2 Water quality and sedimentation monitoring needs to be improved
4.3 There is need to continue to engage Namibia and Angola in the sustainable use of the <strong>Okavango</strong>
River Basin.
5.1 The human/wildlife conflicts continue to be a problem and need to be addressed.
5.2 There is need to carry out baseline surveys on keystone species.
5.3 The limited awareness of the ecological impacts of tourism activities in the ODRS need to be
addressed.
5.4 Lake Ngami needs to be declared a bird sanctuary
5.5 The existing and potential breeding sites for slate egret need to be protected.
6.1 There is need to address the possible impacts of tourism activities on the ODRS ecosystem.
6.2 The level of citizen participation in the tourism sector needs to be improved.
6.3 The tourism products need to be diversified from being wildlife based to other areas.
6.4 There is need to build the capacity of communities for delivering management and sustainable use
of natural resources
No. Component Key issues
7 Sustainable fisheries 7.1 Manpower capacity of the fisheries division needs to be addressed
utilization & 7.2 The inadequacy of base line data on fish stocks in the ODRS needs to be addressed.
management 7.3 The long standing problem of fisheries conflicts need to be resolved.
8 Vegetation resources 8.1 There is need to reduce the impact and frequency of uncontrolled veld fires.
management
8.2 Vegetation degradation by wildlife needs to be assessed
8.3 Overgrazing by livestock needs to be addressed
8.4 Sustainable use of veld products need to be addressed
9 Settlement
development
planning
9.1 Capacity to monitor infrastructural developments needs to be improved.
10 Sustainable land-use 10.1 Haphazard and delays in land allocations as well as poor record keeping need to be reduced.
10.2 Traditional access rights to natural resources in concession areas need to be upheld.
10.3 The level of inspections to ensure adherence to lease conditions need to be improved
11 Waste management 11.1 The solid waste collection services within the ODRS need to be improved.
11.2 The solid and liquid waste infrastructure in the district needs to be improved.
11.3 The institutional capacity of the district waste management needs to be improved
12 Livestock
12.1 The livestock/wildlife interactions need to be reduced.
<strong>Management</strong> 12.2The risk of Tsetse re-infestation needs to be reduced.
3.7.2.2 Development of thematic areas for integrated management planning
In order to move away from sectoral planning to integrated management planning,
the analysis in this section demonstrates the inherent need for inter-sectoral
interventions to address the priority issues during the <strong>Plan</strong> implementation.
To facilitate this process, a further analysis was carried out on the issues with
regards to the type of management interventions required. The analysis revealed
that the issues fell into three broad areas. These areas were management, natural
resources base and natural resources use and these required institutional, biophysical
and socio-economic approaches in their intervention respectively. For
94