Workshop on integrated landscape management starts at Rundu

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An inception workshop on integrated landscape management to reduce, reverse and avoid further degradation, and support the sustainable use of natural resources in the Mopane- Miombo belt, started in Rundu on Tuesday.

The three-day workshop is being held by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Speaking at the official opening of the workshop, Deputy Director in the environment ministry Petrus Mutayauli said the three institutions will on Thursday launch a five-year project called Dryland Sustainable Landscape Namibia Child Project.

The project is being funded by the Global Environmental Facility for five years and benefits 11 countries in Africa and Asia.

‘The project covers three landscapes – the Kunene-Cuvelai landscape, Etosha landscape and Kavango landscape,’ Mutayauli said.

He explained that the project will look at enabling policies that are facilitative of protecting the environment.

Mutayauli said in each of the three landscapes, the project plans to develop at least three sustainable green value chain enterprises.

‘The environment can only be protected if environment problems are viewed through economic opportunity lenses. There will also be 10 000 direct beneficiaries, of which 40 per cent should be women,’ he stated.

The deputy director said by the end of the project, at least 320 000 hectares of land must employ sustainable land practices.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency