Ozonahi Conservancy Chairperson John Uazukuani has stated that challenges surrounding proper charcoal farming have led to an inability to meet the conservancy's financial targets and benefit the communities it serves.

Uazukuani said this at the opening of the annual general meeting with members at Okuapa Village in Okakarara Constituency.

Uazukuani reported that during the financial period under review, the conservancy generated revenue of over N$230,000 through the charcoal farming project.

The target was to generate revenue of N$1 million per year.

The conservancy was awarded its certificate of operation to address bush encroachment in 2022.

"The key challenge that we had for the period under review is that the conservancy did not reach the financial target according to the proposed budget by then, and it's because if you target to harvest wood for charcoal production, and unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, the charcoal production has not been realised."

The conservancy covers over 320,000 hectares with an estimated population of 10,922 and about 90 villages.

Uazukuani said activities in the area continue to benefit farmers who were previously affected by bush encroachment and land degradation.

"We as a conservancy don't have many resources, but at least through the government, farmers, in terms of the human-wildlife conflict, are benefiting when they lose their domestic animals. We are also getting funds through the Waterberg Plateau Park, which is also a benefit to us. During the hunting season, if there are professional hunters, we get that meat to distribute to our conservancy members."

The 24-year-old project manages about four mobile units in four selected villages with 20 harvesters.