Kunene conservancies receive N$31 million in grants to mitigate human-wildlife conflict

Staff Reporter

THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, in collaboration with the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), has handed over grants worth N$31 million in total to communal conservancies in the Kunene Region.

“The grants, financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank, will be used to implement critical measures from the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Action Plans (HWCMAPs), which address the unique challenges faced by communities living alongside wildlife,” the German Embassy explained.

The embassy highlighted that conservancies in Kunene were selected as these communities are among the hardest hit by human-wildlife conflict, involving species such as lions, elephants, hyenas, and leopards. These conflicts have resulted in losses of livestock, crops, infrastructure, and, in some cases, human lives.

The German Embassy also mentioned that, as part of ongoing efforts to protect both wildlife and local communities in the Kunene Region, various equipment, infrastructure, and uniforms were handed over via the “Poverty-Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia” (POSCCIN) Project.

This, the embassy revealed, includes predator-proof kraals to protect livestock from predators; lion collars to help conservationists monitor lions’ movements and behaviour, alerting communities to reduce human-lion conflict; early warning towers that provide advance notice of potential wildlife threats; trail cameras to monitor wildlife activity and gather data on species presence and behaviour; water infrastructure providing alternative water sources for both communities and wildlife; SMART ULE phones to assist with wildlife monitoring and performance tracking; and uniforms and field equipment to support Elephant Rangers and Community Game Guards.

“Furthermore, communal conservancies with tourism enterprises have received Business Continuity Grants under the COVID Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Facility (CRRRF) to support tourism recovery through the upgrading of existing tourism infrastructure,” the German Embassy added.

The embassy further noted that four Community Lion Rangers were honoured with awards in recognition of their exceptional work in mitigating human-lion conflict across the Kunene Region.