Staff Writer
KATIMA MULILO, April 27 — The people of Sikunga and Impalila Conservancies are taking action to restore their rivers, and hope to inspire others to take similar steps. The Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) has released a short film titled “The River People,” produced in Namibia, which tells the story of how the river people from conservancies in Kavango and Zambezi managed to take action to restore their fish and rivers altogether. This story highlights the hard work and dedication it took for the river people from the first reserves in Sikunga and Impalila to be where they are today, through collaborative work among themselves and with partners such as the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) and the NNF’s project donors.
Since 2001, the NNF has steadily and systematically built up a knowledge base and expertise in managing inland fisheries. The EU-funded Ecofish grant Strengthening Community Fisheries in KAZA project, currently being implemented by the NNF, aims to strengthen sustainable fisheries management through ecosystem-based adaptation, enhancing the socio-ecological resilience of communities. Local communities are increasingly and rightfully being recognized as critical partners in establishing and maintaining fisheries reserves.
This short film confirms that when communities come together and take action to restore fisheries to an extent where they can reasonably expect to go to the river and catch some fish for eating, trading, and enjoyment, others can follow suit.
– Namibia Daily News
