Conservancy Makes Roaring Entry - by Wezi Tjaronda

From The New Era


WINDHOEK – The coming into being of the Eiseb Conservancy last week has signalled another chapter in the development of this remote area.

Inhabitants there say the conservancy will accelerate economic development and improve their standard of living.

Eiseb has become the 53rd conservancy to be launched.

Eiseb’s strategic location will also benefit its members in that the migrant herbivores, such as elephants, will provide photographic tourism and trophy hunting opportunities thereby providing economic benefits to the area, according to Permanent Secretary of Environment and Tourism, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, when he launched the conservancy last week in Eiseb Block.

Shangula urged conservancy members to manage wildlife and natural resources in accordance with conservation principles and utilise them in a sustainable way to benefit all the conservancy’s members.

He said since conservancies enable people to derive benefits from sustainable management and consumptive and non-consumptive utilisation of wildlife and other natural resources, the conservancy management team should distribute the benefits derived from wildlife utilisation equitably to its members.

The conservancy may benefit from a number of programmes under the ministry which were put up to ensure the success of conservancies such as translocation of wildlife, which aims at restoring game populations and creating opportunities for income generation through tourism, live sale of game, trophy hunting and game meat distribution.

He said reintroducing wildlife restores biodiversity and contributes to ecosystem stability.

Also speaking at the launch, Omaheke Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua said the coming of the conservancy will change Eiseb inhabitants’ attitudes to the value of game and conservation, while reducing poverty. She said the conservancy will support the most disadvantaged communities especially the San, who will also derive benefits from the wildlife.

“The conservancy will provide alternative sources of income without replacing cattle farming as the main economic activity in the area. They will utilise the game and other natural resources in a sustainable way for the economic and social benefit of the members of the conservancy,” she said.

Mainly Ovaherero, who returned from Botswana after independence, and the San community inhabit Eiseb.

The majority of the Eiseb population depends on livestock for their livelihood although a few are employed in the civil service. The area is not connected to the electricity grid yet. Conservancy chairman, Rukee Kazao, told New Era yesterday that Eiseb will now implement measures that are in its management utilisation plan including going into joint venture partnerships for the establishment of campsites and lodges in the area.

Kazao said the area is underdeveloped but the situation is now destined to change. The conservancy was gazetted on March 16 and has about 1 000 registered members.