Land use, wildlife, tourism & conservancies

VISION 2030 THE OVERRIDING MESSAGE THAT THIS REPORT CONVEYS IS : by capitalising on Namibia’s comparative advantages and providing appropriate incentives to use our natural resources in the most efficient ways possible, we will be in a better position to create a safer, healthier and more prosperous future for all Namibians – to 2030 and beyond.

WHAT ARE NAMIBIA’S COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES ? VAST OPEN SPACES AND WILDERNESS AREAS ABUNDANT AND DIVERSE BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS that are well adapted to Namibia’s harsh climatic and physical conditions, and have extremely high direct & indirect use value. UNCONTAMINATED MEAT AND FISH PRODUCTS Rich CULTURAL diversities and valuable TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE Efficient SERVICE Industries

Exotic species systems Indigenous species systems Rainfall ( land productivity) Benefits Higher financial returns from indigenous species management in lower rainfall areas Higher financial returns from exotic species management in areas of high rainfall & soil fertility Returns to different land-uses the main input is getting the policy environment right Policy failures drive down value of indigenous species Subsidies (e.g. in agriculture) drive up value of exotic species management

State Parks13.7 m ha Communal Conservancies 10.5 m ha Freehold Conservancies 4.3 m ha Hunting farms 3.5 m ha Private Reserves 0.5 m ha

People2.1 million Goats2.4 million Sheep2.4 million Cattle2.1 million Wildlife2.0 million + State parks 4% Communal 8% Freehold88% Cattle ± 31 million ha Small scale cereal & livestock ± 5.5 million ha Small stock ± 27 million ha Intensive agriculture 0.04 million ha

Land prices bordering National Parks FarmingN$200/ha Wildlife/ tourismN$600+/ha FarmingN$40/ha Wildlife/ tourismN$150/ha FarmingN$35/ha Wildlife/ tourismN$300/ha

Best returns on land - financial results: Karas region ItemCommunal livestock Freehold livestock Tourism Financial gross income per hectare (N$) Net cash income per hectare (N$) Livelihoods income (N$) Financial rate of return 5.5%9.8%12.9%

Commodity Output value (million N$) CommercialCommunal Cattle Small stock (sheep & goats) Other livestock (pigs, dairy. karakul, hides & skin) Crops (cereals, grapes, etc) Other agriculture Construction for agriculture 59.0 TOTAL 1,878.4 Commodity Output value (million N$) Trophy hunting316.0 Live game sales14.3 Wildlife viewing2,700.0 Fuel wood sales63.0 Charcoal Selected plant products21.6 TOTAL3,200 Agricultural production Indigenous biodiversity-based production

National level Total gross annual output of whole agricultural sector (large & small stock, and crops) – commercial and subsistence sectors N$1,878 million Total gross annual output of non- agricultural natural resource based “sector” ( tourism, trophy hunting, wildlife products, indigenous plant products, etc i.e. indigenous biodiversity) – commercial sector only N$3,200 million Indigenous biodiversity production systems have overtaken agricultural production systems and exceed them by a factor of two

Raises the following: Wildlife, tourism and other indigenous biodiversity production systems are now the most economically important forms of land use in Namibia Farming will never make people and countries rich - wildlife, tourism, etc have the demonstrated potential to create much more wealth, jobs, improve livelihoods, skills development, etc Does the MET as the lead agency have the vision, philosophy and right mindset to lead the huge future growth in this sector (sufficient understanding of economics and markets), or at least, not to hinder the growth potential?

Of 28 major vegetation types, 16 are not adequately covered in protected areas... The vegetation of Namibia The epehemeral rivers also receive little protection from parks

Biological Diversity

Endemics

Wetlands

44 communal conservancies

Looks very nice but …… …. only 0.63% of the indigenous biodiversity production sector is earned by communal conservancies !!!!!!!! Why ? - management, access to markets, resource rights Solution? - improve management, - intensify production systems, - closer links and partnership with private sector - policy reform by MET – far greater devolution - MET mindset change – to economics & markets