Community conservation covers about 60.7% of all communal land in Namibia, with an estimated 244 587 residents that facilitates 2 340 jobs.
In 2023, community conservation contributed an estimated N$1.075 billion to the net national income, while the contributions from the beginning of 1990 to the end of 2023 was more than N$15.2 billion.
The net national income contribution can be defined as the value of goods and services that community conservation activities make available each year to the nation.
This is according to the latest figures published in the State of Community Conservation Report for 2023.
According to the report, of the 185 809 square kilometres covered by community conservation, conservancies managed 166 179 square kilometres (20.2%) of Namibia.
While community conservation facilitated 2340 jobs in 2023, a total of 1 057 people were employed by conservancies.
Meanwhile, 74 joint-venture enterprises with conservancies employed 934 people full-time and 104-part-time, while 57 hunting concessions created 165 full-time and 80 part-time employees.
According to the report, of the more than N$ 166 million cash and in-kind benefits generated by conservancies in 2023, conservation hunting generated N$48.9 million, with a meat value of N$2.4 million.
Tourism generated N$111 million and indigenous plant products N$1.19 million, while other miscellaneous income brought in more than N$3.07 million.
Conservancy residents earned a total cash income of N$90.5 million.
Of this, more than N$57.7 million came from joint-venture tourism, N$30.7 million from conservancies and N$1.9 million from conservation hunting.
The game meat received by conservancies from trophy hunting weighed in at 90 116 kilograms, while more than N$28 million in cash benefits was distributed to conservancy residents and used to support community projects.
By the end of 2023, there were 86 registered conservancies and three community associations - the Kyaramacan Association in the Bwabwata National Park, the ≠Aonin (Topnaar) Community Association that live in the Dorob and Namib Naukluft National Parks and the !Gobaob Hai//om Community Association which lives in the Etosha National Park.
At independence in 1990, there were no registered community conservation areas, freehold conservancies did not exist, and a mere 14% of land was under recognised conservation management.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said that the rationale for community-based conservation aligns with Namibia’s overall objectives for the preservation of natural processes and ecosystems to sustainably utilise natural resources.
He said that Namibia is steadfast on a positive trajectory as community conservation continues to contribute to the country’s conservation successes with growing wildlife populations and accrued benefits to communities.
“Our conservation successes are coupled with social and economic challenges such as a growing human population, the effects of climate change, and a prolonged drought across many parts of our country.”
Shifeta said that these challenges have led to an increase in the number of human wildlife conflict incidents.
“We continue to note in some instances that poor administration of community-based institutions leads to limited or no benefits for communities. In many cases, the most vulnerable members of our communities are affected, putting more pressure on their scarce resources at household level.”
In 2023, community conservation contributed an estimated N$1.075 billion to the net national income, while the contributions from the beginning of 1990 to the end of 2023 was more than N$15.2 billion.
The net national income contribution can be defined as the value of goods and services that community conservation activities make available each year to the nation.
This is according to the latest figures published in the State of Community Conservation Report for 2023.
According to the report, of the 185 809 square kilometres covered by community conservation, conservancies managed 166 179 square kilometres (20.2%) of Namibia.
While community conservation facilitated 2340 jobs in 2023, a total of 1 057 people were employed by conservancies.
Meanwhile, 74 joint-venture enterprises with conservancies employed 934 people full-time and 104-part-time, while 57 hunting concessions created 165 full-time and 80 part-time employees.
According to the report, of the more than N$ 166 million cash and in-kind benefits generated by conservancies in 2023, conservation hunting generated N$48.9 million, with a meat value of N$2.4 million.
Tourism generated N$111 million and indigenous plant products N$1.19 million, while other miscellaneous income brought in more than N$3.07 million.
Conservancy residents earned a total cash income of N$90.5 million.
Of this, more than N$57.7 million came from joint-venture tourism, N$30.7 million from conservancies and N$1.9 million from conservation hunting.
The game meat received by conservancies from trophy hunting weighed in at 90 116 kilograms, while more than N$28 million in cash benefits was distributed to conservancy residents and used to support community projects.
By the end of 2023, there were 86 registered conservancies and three community associations - the Kyaramacan Association in the Bwabwata National Park, the ≠Aonin (Topnaar) Community Association that live in the Dorob and Namib Naukluft National Parks and the !Gobaob Hai//om Community Association which lives in the Etosha National Park.
At independence in 1990, there were no registered community conservation areas, freehold conservancies did not exist, and a mere 14% of land was under recognised conservation management.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said that the rationale for community-based conservation aligns with Namibia’s overall objectives for the preservation of natural processes and ecosystems to sustainably utilise natural resources.
He said that Namibia is steadfast on a positive trajectory as community conservation continues to contribute to the country’s conservation successes with growing wildlife populations and accrued benefits to communities.
“Our conservation successes are coupled with social and economic challenges such as a growing human population, the effects of climate change, and a prolonged drought across many parts of our country.”
Shifeta said that these challenges have led to an increase in the number of human wildlife conflict incidents.
“We continue to note in some instances that poor administration of community-based institutions leads to limited or no benefits for communities. In many cases, the most vulnerable members of our communities are affected, putting more pressure on their scarce resources at household level.”
