German Government Donates N.dollars 300 Million for Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in Zambezi Region

KATIMA MULILO: The German government has contributed N.dollars 300 million to assist with wildlife conflict mitigation and to alleviate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on communal conservancies in the Zambezi Region.

According to a new release by Namibia Press Agency, the funds will support the Community Conservancies Fund of Namibia (CCFN) and the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA).

Lucke highlighted the role of Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in the management of KAZA Transfrontier Conservation Park, stating that the N.dollars 17 million grant financed by KfW is designed to enhance community livelihoods and implement measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts in the KAZA region.

KAZA Secretariat Executive Director Dr. Nyambe Nyambe elaborated that the main objective of the funding is to secure essential wildlife corridors within two key areas: the Kwando River and the Zambezi-Chobe floodplains. Both are integral components of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Nyambe stated that these lands serve as homes to nearly 100,000 people who coexist with the wildlife, contributing as agro-pastoralists. The ultimate aim is to nurture sustainable agro-wildlife activities and ensure that the benefits of conservation are equitably shared.

Minister Pohamba Shifeta of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism acknowledged the co-financing by the German government and praised Namibia for its practical implementation of resolutions made at the Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Conference held in May 2023.