Plans to buy farms surrounding Etosha Park

Southern Times Writer October 19, 2008

Windhoek. — Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said Government plans to buy farms surrounding the mega Etosha National Park to use for conservancy purposes.

Speaking at the commemoration of the Namib-Naukluft Park a week ago, Nandi-Ndaitwah appealed for funds from the private sector to help Government in its bid to establish wildlife conservatives, which would also directly benefit the surrounding communities.

The Namibian Government has legislation which allows communities surrounding national parks to manage and benefit from wildlife.

Conservancies are also meant to reduce human-wildlife conflict. The conservancies mitigate the conflict by compensating farmers for their losses, especially of livestock and crops from predators.

Some conservancies pay in cash specifically set aside from conservation funds to avoid revenge killing of large mammal predators.

There is also a need to reduce human-elephant conflicts especially around water resources.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said her ministry was negotiating with farmers with land around Etosha, adding that the private sector should step in to give a financial boost to the initiative.

"The money available will not be enough. We are planning to purchase the farms for the communal areas surrounding Etosha and the private sector should meet the Government half-way," Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Etosha National Park, which has been described as a national treasure because of its abundant wildlife resources and its pristine nature, shares boundaries with regions of Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa.

The minister gave an example of how the private sector helped when the then colonial government purchased land surrounding the Namib-Naukluft Park and urged co-operation from private as well as institutional investors.

When the Namib-Naukluft Park was proclaimed, it only measured about 10 000 square kilometres. A series of alterations were made which resulted in Sandwich Harbour being added to the park in 1941 while the Welwitschia plains and areas to the west were added in 1968, bringing the size of the park to 14 000 sq/km.

In 1979, the Namib Desert Park and the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park were consolidated and the north-eastern portion of Diamond Area number two was also added.

"Several farms located around the Naukluft Mountains were purchased by the then department of nature conservation to join the two parks," Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

The park currently measures 50 000 sq/km.

She added that there were also plans to link Namib-Naukluft Park with other neighbouring conservation areas.