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Natural Resource Development |
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| Partners | News | Success Stories | Links | Updated: 8/28/2006 |
Overview
The Oryx, or gemsbok, is one of the world`s largest and most graceful antelope. Though swift and agile, it will sometimes face down large predators and has been known to impale lions. The Oryx is a preferred table game meat and so is potentially exposed to poaching and over utilization. The communally owned lands of northwest Namibia are ideal habitats for Oryx and, with USAID assistance, its people have taken it upon themselves to help protect this important species. These indigenous peoples have turned much of their lands into nature conservancies, managing their wildlife both to preserve their heritage and for economic gain. As a result, since 1990, Oryx numbers in northwest Namibia have increased almost eightfold and now approach 15,000. Oryx are not the only animals to benefit from improved management in this region, as numbers of black rhino, elephant, giraffe, zebra, impala and springbok have also increased dramatically.
Through tourism and related activities across northern Namibia, hundreds of new jobs have been created. Almost 100,000 Namibians are recipients of income and other benefits generated by Community Based Natural Resource Management, and an area almost the size of South Carolina is under improved management. This is the story of the establishment and development of communal conservancies in Namibia and USAID`s role in that process.
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USAID`s CBNRM Program In Namibia
Large areas in Namibia, primarily in the north, are communally managed by indigenous peoples. By the late 1980`s, it was clear that these ecosystems were deteriorating. This was of great concern to the communal peoples given that their natural resources were vital to their cultures and self-identities. As well, these resources represented economic assets, and could be conserved, managed and promoted for their benefit. A partnership to address community based natural resource management (CBNRM) began to coalesce among community members, domestic and international NGOs, and the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) in the early 1990s. In 1992, USAID joined this partnership, working primarily with and through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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National-level Impacts
Recent analysis by the Economics Unit of Namibia`s Ministry of Environment and Tourism reveals the dramatic national level impact of USAID`s investment in Namibia`s Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) program. While it is important to note that USAID`s funding between 1993 and 2003 has leveraged more than 115% in funding support from a range of other donors to the sector, the most impressive aspect of the CBNRM development and funding cycle is the economic return trend noted over the past three years versus the donor investment trend. While donor funding peaked in 2002, economic returns and wildlife stocks are climbing rapidly. The total value of net national income (value of goods and services CBNRM economic activities make available to the nation) and increased capital value of wildlife from 1990-2003 amounts to approximately $60 million. This is an impressive development return relative to the total investment of $66.8 million thus far made by the donor community and government over the same period.
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Results to Date
At the center of the CBNRM movement, has been the formation of communal conservancies, which, because of Namibia`s progressive legislation, have the authority to manage wildlife in their respective areas. Conservancies have formalized rapidly, with 31 now registered by the GRN, protecting approximately 20 million acres of communal areas. This accounts for approximately 24% of all communal land and increases the conservation status of land by some 65% above the official protected area land base of 28,178,000 acres set aside in Namibia. More than 40 other communities are in various stages of forming conservancies with the help of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and local NGOs. As can be seen from the map, the majority of conservancies are located in the northern part of the country. This is due to the fact that most of the wildlife and, thus, the potential for increases in tourism exist in these areas. More communities, especially those in the central and southern parts of Namibia, are also interested in forming conservancies. Some of these new conservancies will focus more on management of other types of resources, including grazing lands and forestry.
Income earned by conservancies in USG fiscal year 2004 was $2.35 million. The diversity of income sources (i.e. community enterprises, joint venture tourism, thatching grass sales, trophy hunting, live game sales and donations, craft sales) is a major strength of the program. Torra Conservancy, the first to become totally self-sufficient, is plowing its profits back into the community, and another three conservancies have reached financial self-sufficiency. In January 2003 Torra Conservancy distributed cash benefits equivalent to US$73 to every conservancy member over the age of 18. This amount is equal to approximately half of average annual incomes in conservancy households. In the Nyae Nyae conservancy, where a similar cash benefit distribution was made in 2004, CBNRM activities now account for 35% of cash income for conservancy members and 28 percent of employment.
While communally operated campsites have been the biggest earners to date, profits from joint ventures between conservancies and the private sector are expected to take over the lead in the next five years. Currently five conservancies hold joint venture agreements with the private sector that have resulted in new lodges. A sixth conservancy has an agreement for a lodge in place and a seventh is about to sign an agreement soon. Four others are involved in ongoing discussions with potential private sector investors. Eight conservancies have agreements with companies organizing trophy hunting. The joint ventures, along with trophy hunting concessions, and the privately owned enterprises that will benefit from increased tourism, will have a significant impact on the broader Namibian economy.
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Income Earning Activities
Conservancies generated income from a number of sources. A breakdown of the incomes/benefits generated in 2004 reflects the following:
· Joint ventures with private tourism enterprises (34%)
· Community Based Tourism enterprises/campsites (28%)
· Trophy hunting and meat (16%)
· Thatching grass sales (11%)
· Game donations (4%)
· Crafts sales (3%)
· Own use game meat (2%)
· Interest income (1%)
· Live sale of game (1%)
The joint ventures, along with trophy hunting concessions, and the privately owned enterprises that will benefit from increased tourism, will have a significant impact on the broader Namibian economy.
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Wildlife Increases
Another benefit to communities is realized from an increase in the numbers of wildlife. As can be seen from the chart below, the numbers and value of wildlife in Northwest Namibia have grown steadily since the beginning of USAID/WWF`s intervention in 1993, and it is anticipated that such growth trends will continue. Impressive gains have been seen in populations of elephant, giraffe, zebra, and kudu. Namibia has the world’s largest free roaming population of black rhinos and their numbers have doubled in the Kunene region over the last 12 years. Game donations, primarily from private farms and government, have helped conservancies increase their wildlife populations, and reflect a growing confidence in the ability of the conservancies to be good shepherds of the environment.
With proper management, it is anticipated that game numbers will grow by 15-20 percent per year until carrying capacity is reached. This will increase the value of conservancies for tourism, enable increased protein consumption by communities and provide opportunities for additional responsibly managed trophy hunting.
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Benefits Beyond Dollars and Wildlife
As impressive and important as are the improvements in wildlife numbers and the direct earnings from tourist-related activities, members of the conservancies are realizing additional, non-financial benefits. These include:
· Deepened sense of community: Each community must reach consensus on how to use communal resources for CBNRM. In order to achieve this, a committee is elected to oversee related activities. That committee is responsible to the people, usually by interaction with its traditional leaders. Through this process, the benefits of civic action are demonstrated, organizational skills are enhanced, and more individuals become directly involved in local governance.
· Economic and political empowerment: Previously marginalized, isolated peoples now have increasing control over their futures. They are able to have an impact on public policy at regional and even national levels of government and negotiate favorable business arrangements with the private sector. They have improved managerial and business skills which are transferable to other endeavors.
· Strengthened civil society: Conservancy formation has served as a base for a more active civil society. All registered conservancies, as well as 50 percent of emerging conservancies, have received training and mentoring in priority setting, decision-making and conflict mediation. In addition, all gazetted conservancies have annual membership meetings and hold open and transparent management committee elections. Conservancies have used these skills to resolve issues around boundaries, member responsibilities, and management plans with their traditional and elected leaders.
· Elevated status and opportunity for women: Women are taking advantage of many employment opportunities stemming from conservancies. These include services related to the lodging of and catering to tourists, and craft manufacturing and sales. Overall, 30 percent of all elected conservancy management committee members are women, and one conservancy has a women`s desk to promote enterprise activities. In March 2003, the Uukwaluudhi Conservancy was officially registered with a woman acting as chairperson, and now women have been elected into the chairperson positions in three conservancies. At one of the joint venture lodges, a conservancy member has become the first black Namibian to serve as a lodge manager at a conservancy. Another black woman has become a prominent conservancy game guard. In 2002, the Coordinator of the Namibian Association of CBNRM Service Organizations (NACSO) was named World Wildlife Fund`s Woman Conservationist of the Year, and also received the Conde Nast Traveler Environmental Award.
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Ensuring Sustainability — USAID`s Strategy
Both NGOs and MET have played a vital role in conservancy development. They have provided interested communities with current information on forming conservancies as well as training and technical assistance to help community members learn the new skills required to manage their resources.
The NGOs and MET are now taking steps forward in assuming responsibility for sustained CBNRM growth. The national office of NACSO, representing 12 NGO support organizations, is now fully functional and operates in cooperation with USAID`s implementing organization, the World Wildlife Fund Consortium. NACSO`s working groups carry out the major activities of the national CBNRM program initially handled by WWF.
In 2003, the MET established a CBNRM Subdivision within the Directorate of Parks and Wildlife Management. The Head and two technical staff have responsibility for refining the policy environment, for training and supervising the 29 field staff assisting with the implementation of the national CBNRM Program, and for MET`s involvement in NACSO.
NACSO received funding from USAID in 2003 to develop a comprehensive CBNRM HIV/AIDS strategy framework and HIV/AIDS policy documents for NGOs and conservancies. CBNRM organizations are linked or referred to existing support and treatment services supported by the U.S. Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
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Cheetah Conservation
While USAID`s primary effort the area of natural resource conservation has been focused on strengthening the CBNRM movement, USAID is also supporting efforts to save the cheetah. Able to reach speeds of up to 58 miles/hour in two to three seconds, the cheetah is the world`s fastest land mammal. Among the most tamable of cats, the cheetah was deified by the ancient Egyptians, and rulers from Genghis Khan to Charlemagne are known to have had cheetahs as pets. Unfortunately, the survival of this majestic animal is now in peril. The cheetah is an endangered species with only about 15,000 animals remaining in the wild.
Namibia has the world`s largest population of free-ranging cheetah, estimated at about 2,500 animals. Ninety percent of Namibia`s cheetah live outside of protected reserve areas, primarily on commercial livestock farmlands. The bio-diversity of these farmlands has been altered by several farm management practices, including: (a) extensive overgrazing resulting in bush encroachment, which makes the land less attractive to game; and, (b) active elimination of species deemed to be competitors to the livestock industry, including herbivores which compete for grazing land and predators that kill stock. The cheetah loses on all counts. As the availability of their natural prey decreases, livestock becomes more attractive as prey than it would otherwise be (cheetah prefer to chase their prey). Farmers, unable to sustain losses of livestock, kill the cheetah.
In response to a Congressional directive, USAID/Namibia awarded a grant to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a U.S. non-profit organization. With funds from the grant, CCF is reducing the bush encroachment that threatens the cheetah`s natural habitat by converting bush into exportable, environmentally sound, fuel logs. The revenues earned through the sale of the logs will help CCF sustain its ongoing activities to educate communities in livestock management techniques that are sensitive to both farmers` needs and the cheetah`s survival.
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The 2004-2010 Strategy
In July 2003, the Africa Bureau approved a new Country Strategic Plan for USAID/Namibia through the year 2010. Under the strategy, USAID is supporting a new strategic objective program aimed at improving rural livelihoods through sustainable integrated natural resource management. The CBNRM focus has been expanded from conservancy wildlife management to community oversight of a broader set of natural resources, such as forestries, fisheries and grazing land. The range of economic benefits will be expanded through deepened enterprise development and expanded community-based tourism, and civil society will continue to be strengthened. The new program is due to begin in mid-2004.
By 2010, it is expected that conservancies will be managing a wider set of local natural resources, and will be periodically carrying out monitoring of biophysical indicators to support their planning and decision making. Wildlife populations will continue to recover, and will plateau in some as carrying capacity is reached. Other resources will increase in diversity and productivity.
LIFE Plus is currently:
· Building on the existing activities of the LIFE Project and continue to support conservancies;
· Expanding the types of resources under community management and support the government in promoting integrated management of these resources;
· Focusing more strongly on supporting business development within conservancies and on broadening the resource base on which new enterprises can be built;
· Supporting the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in promoting coordinated policy development and implementation across the Natural Resource Management sectors;
· Developing synergies with other major programs within our development assistance portfolio in Namibia. These programs include combating HIV/AIDS, strengthening local governance, supporting improved education and assisting private sector development;
· Cooperating closely with two other CBNRM projects launched on the same evening, the Integrated Community Based Ecosystem Management project, funded by the UN Global Environment Facility and administered by the World Bank; and the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation project, funded by the World Wildlife Fund.
The conservancies will increasingly become a magnet for eco-tourism, and community-based tourism visitor numbers will climb. Revenues from tourism will also grow. More joint venture lodges will be established, and community-owned enterprises will flourish, leading to increased diversification of the sources of conservancy income. More conservancies will be financially self-sufficient, and members will gain confidence and skills for management. Formal models for conservancy management will continue to emerge. Conservancies will be the voice of a growing number of communal dwellers on a variety of issues, and will feed into effective, decentralized governance.
The GRN will continue to revise policies and legislation to increase the natural resource rights of local communities. MET will operate more actively at the regional level and provide increasing leadership within the CBNRM movement, and in coordination with other ministries, and with NGOs active in the sector. Conservancies will have active HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support programs, and members will be better prepared to deal with the reality of HIV/AIDS in their lives and communities.
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