Alice Poniso (Middle) photographed with two community members holding NIPs just outside of the Maurus Nekaro conservancy on their way back to Rundu town.
The Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) is a transboundary basin that comprises a network of watercourses flowing from Angola, through Namibia, and terminating in the Okavango Delta in Botswana (referred to as the “three Member States”). The basin sustains aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and is critical for the wellbeing of millions of people. The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) advises the three riparian states about how to best use the river’s natural resources.
The European Union (EU) is supporting the work of OKACOM through the Programme for Transboundary Water Management in the Cubango-Okavango River Basin. This 5-year Programme aims to strengthen governance and promote sustainable management of water and land resources in the basin. One specific objective of the Programme is to strengthen land management through improved land use planning, reduction of environmental degradation, and improved livelihoods. In addition, the EU Programme is establishing an online decision support system that aligns the three CORB Member States’ monitoring and management of water resources data and information.
In line with these objectives, the EU Programme appointed the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) to implement a sub-project of the Programme aimed at (i) diversifying income streams and food sources, (ii) increasing knowledge around policies on land degradation and biodiversity loss; and (ii) halting the degradation of natural resources and enhancing the resilience of riverine communities to climate change. “The NNF continues to work across Namibia, two conservancies, Maurus Nekaro and Kapinga Kamwalye Conservancies situated in the Kavango Region of northern Namibia, were identified as potential landscapes for the implementation of the sub-project.” – Frances Chase – Head of Projects (NNF)
As part of the sub-project, the NNF together with the EU team held a handover ceremony of equipment to enable sustainable harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). Two ceremonies were held, the first in the Maurus Nekaro on 28th November 2022, and the second in Kapinga Kamwalye Conservancies on 29th November 2022. The equipment included amongst others 100 knives (used in the sustainable harvesting of Devils claw), 100 axes (used in harvesting and cracking open of Manketti nuts), 800 polypropylene woven bags, 400m of shade netting, and 200 needles and thread (used to gather, dry and present the products for marketing purposes). The equipment is valued at approximately N$ 100 000 and is intended to support 100 harvesters in each conservancy. In addition, clothing and foot gear for fish guards who patrol the river front of their conservancy as well as two large maps were handed over. The maps will assist with better spatial planning and management of activities within the Conservancies. “This equipment together with training in sustainable harvesting methods is envisioned to support the development of a value chain to improve income protection for Namibian communities in the future.” – Dr. Maryna Storie – EU-OKACOM. Overall, the donation is meant to enable asset-based community development, ownership, and empowerment at the grassroots level.
The EU-OKACOM Programme was represented by Dr. Maryna Storie and Ms. Catherine (Kate) Pringle, while the NNF was represented by Ms. Frances Chase and Ms. Alice Limani Poniso. Mr. Faustinus Kamwanga, Deputy Director from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Division of Land Reform, also participated.
