The Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), through the Poverty Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia project, recently conducted a series of visits to water points in the Kavango and Zambezi landscapes. These visits aimed to assess the current state of water infrastructure, engage with community members, and raise awareness on the importance of protecting and maintaining these vital resources.

In a groundbreaking effort to safeguard rural livelihoods, communities in the Kavango and Zambezi regions have received a fleet of JCB backhoe loaders to aid in the fight against human-wildlife conflict. These heavy-duty machines will be instrumental in digging trenches around gardens and crop fields, preventing elephants from destroying vital food sources for local farmers.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, in partnership with the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia and the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Area, successfully handed over vital infrastructure and equipment aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict and improving livelihoods in the Zambezi Region. The region is particularly vulnerable to human-wildlife conflict due to the presence of species such as lions, elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.

In a bid to bolster environmental conservation efforts across the African continent, the Consortium of African Funds for the Environment (CAFE) is set to host its highly anticipated annual gathering in Swakopmund, Namibia. Scheduled to take place from the 2nd to the 6th of September 2024 at the Plaza Hotel, this event promises to be a pivotal moment for stakeholders committed to safeguarding Africa’s rich biodiversity.

The recent engagements at Okakarara Secondary School marked a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to address Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in Namibia’s Otjozondjupa landscape. Supported by the Poverty Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia (POSCCIN) Project, these workshops brought together various stakeholders, including conservancies, governmental bodies, and conservation organizations, to align strategies and enhance co-existence between humans and wildlife.

In the vast expanses of conservancies and rural areas, access to clean water is not just a necessity but a lifeline. For years, communities in these regions have grappled with the arduous task of maintaining water infrastructure, often relying on fuel-powered boreholes to secure their water supply. However, a transformative shift is underway, heralding a new era of sustainability and cost-effectiveness through the adoption of solar-powered solutions.

The recently held Tourism Expo, themed “Beyond Borders,” with a special focus on the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) provided a platform for industry players in the tourism sector to promote their products and services. On the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) front, the 2024 Tourism Expo showcased the remarkable talents of community crafters, providing them with a platform to exhibit and sell their products.

On 28 and 29 February 2024, GIZ, KfW and CCFN hosted a group of about 8 members of the Committee on the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection from the German Bundestag (German Parliament). The delegation was led by the Committee Chairman Mr Herald Ebner and, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Namibia, His Excellency Dr Thorsten Hutter.

It is well-known that the tourism sector is one of the biggest contributors to employment in Namibia – That was at least until the first quarter of 2020 when tourist arrivals came to halt due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions and bans as a measure to contain the virus. Recent reports have indicated of the reported 14 500 job loses between March to September 2020 the majority were in the accommodation, travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

Through the CCFN implemented Poverty Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia Project and its collaboration with the Conservation Relief and Resilience and Recovery Facility, CBNRM stakeholders (government, donors, NGOs, individuals) have stepped up to avail support to various Community Based Organizations within Namibia’s registered conservancies and community forests.

Did you know that Namibia is the first country in Africa to incorporate environmental protection in its constitution?

Article 95 of Namibia’s Constitution has allowed for the formation of several policies that enable rural communal communities to directly benefit from natural resources, one of them being the National Policy on Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM).

In Namibia and in most parts of Southern Africa, wildlife does not only serve an ecological purpose, but it also offers a crucial supplementary nutritional and economic gain to rural communities. Through initiatives, such as Ecotourism and Wildlife Credits, payments for ecosystem services have not only generated sustainable income but also give incentives to environmental custodians for protecting habitat and crucial wildlife corridors.

The European Union (EU) recently approved 2 grants to organisations working to improve governance in Namibia’s Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) sector.

The Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN) was officially launched on 13 February 2020 by the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon. Pohamba Shifeta, in Windhoek, at the National Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM).