Community conservation managers convene at Otjiwarongo

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Over 180 managers of the community conservancies of Erongo, Kunene, Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions convened at Otjiwarongo on Thursday to discuss effective conservation in the country.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta said the maladministration of conservation funds must dominate their discussions as his office continues to receive complaints from community members about such funds allegedly being loaned in large sums by some conservancy committee members.

He said borrowing money from the funds is illegal and criminal cases will be opened in future should someone be caught doing so, while stressing that the national conservation policies do not allow for any member of the conservancy to borrow money from the conservancy coffers.

He said the 86 community conservancies, 43 community forests and two associations in the country generate millions of dollars per year through trophy hunting, hospitality and tourism activities, as well as game drives and the sale of natural resources from these conservancies.

“That money is not yours, it is supposed to benefit and develop the communities you operate in, not an individual or a certain group of people having access to it,” he said.

The minister also advised that conservation managers refrain from land disputes as their mandate is to manage natural resources and generate revenues.

He called on community conservancies to see to it that their annual general meetings take place fairly.

The minister further expressed delight to see conservancies continue their fight against poaching and also properly manage human-wildlife conflicts, but urged them to prepare for veld fires by creating cut lines inside and around their conservancies.

Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua also attended the official part of the meeting and called on participants to interact and learn from each other and strengthen their nature conservation efforts.

“On your return, you will go back and generate more money through conservation activities and use it to assist your communities to survive,” he said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency