Conservancies

State of Conservancy reports

The USAID Life Programme supported the production of the book "Namibia's communal conservancies: a review of progress and challenges" in 2004. By then, there were 29 registered conservancies.

An updated edition of the State of the Conservancies was published in 2006 covering the 44 conservancies which had registered by 2005.

High resolution pdf files, provided as zip files, of the 2006 book can be downloaded here:

• Cover (1.7 Mb)
• Prelims (2.5 Mb)
• Chapter 1 Introduction (2.4 Mb)
• Chapter 2 Natural Resources (5.2 Mb)
• Chapter 3 Governance.zip (2.7 Mb)
• Chapter 4 Benefits (3.0 Mb)
• Chapter 5 Profiles pp56-67 (3.5 Mb)
• Chapter 5 Profiles pp68-79 (3.1 Mb)
• Chapter 5 Profiles pp80-89 (2.3 Mb)
• Chapter 5 Profiles pp90-99 (2.3 Mb)
• Chapter 5 Profiles pp100-104 (242 kb)

Conservancies are self-defined common property management and social units. These unfenced multiple use areas are zoned by members for their livelihood needs, including crop and livestock farming, mixed wild and domestic animal grazing and exclusive wildlife and tourism. In return for responsible management of wildlife, government gives a conservancy the rights over its consumptive and non-consumptive use.

Conservancy members (share-holders) are required to elect a representative committee (board of directors) to manage natural resources and equitably distribute income derived from tourism and hunting. Most conservancies employ game guards, field officers and community activators.

By the end of 2006 44 communal area conservancies had been gazetted and many more communities across the country were in the process of meeting the requirements for registration. Over 100,000 km² of land, incorporating more than 210,000 people, are currently in the national conservancy program.

Wildlife numbers have continued to increase in the Kunene Region which has become a major eco-tourism destination. Caprivi's wildlife is also recovering and Community-based Natural Resource Management has started contributing significant income to rural communities.