By Emilia Mbishi
Daweb, 15 Nov. – The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta handed over the Integrated Wildlife and Sustainable Rangeland Management for improved livelihoods project in the /Huibes Conservancy, Hardap Region.
The project is funded under the CBNRM EDA Project that is implemented through the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia.
Salomon April, the governor of the Hardap Region thanked the minister and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia for empowering the community of /Huibes Conservancy and Hardap region in general through the project intervention.
Shifeta, stated that the “Integrated Wildlife and Sustainable Rangeland Management for improved livelihoods” is funded by the Environmental Investment Fund and implemented by the /Huibes Conservancy in Hardap region.
The project aimed at enhancing climate change resilience of communities in the /Huibes landscape area through integrated farming systems.
He urged the farming communities and specifically the small farmers saying they have the potential to contribute significantly to national food security as well as national economic growth of this country.
“It is in our best interest to foster conservation of our natural resources through community based natural resource management system as established by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism,” he said.
Situated in the Daweb constituency, the Huibes conservancy was funded to the tune of N$1,5 million under Ecosystem Based Adaptation investment window under the Empower to Adapt (EDA) project, which is centred around Creating Climate Change Resilient Livelihoods through Community Based Natural Resource Management in Namibia (CBNRM EDA Project).
/Huibes is about 120 km south west of Mariental. There are 220 registered members of the /Huibes conservancy most of whom live in abject poverty.
Livestock farming specifically small stock farming is the dominant farming activity for most households.
The project is aimed at enhancing climate change resilience of communities in the /Huibes landscape area through integrated farming systems. The project objectives include establishing livestock breeding and livestock revolving bank and enhancing community food security through backyard gardens and poultry production.
To date the project has ensured that six backyard gardens have been established, two hydroponic units for fodder production have been completed, and 292 goats of which 10 are rams for small stock breeding scheme procured livestock.
Chicken feeds and feeder as well as 400 chickens procured will be distributed to identified household of beneficiaries.
