Several community conservation projects in the Zambezi Region have received financial support to enhance crop production, livestock farming, and job creation.

This comes through the Environment, Forestry and Tourism Ministry's 'Community Livelihood Development and Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation' project, backed by the German government.

Sobbe Conservancy received over N$610,000, Kwandu Conservancy was awarded N$40,000, and Bamunu Conservancy received nearly N$138,000.

Environment, Forestry, and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta emphasized the importance of these projects in supporting local communities, especially during droughts. The grants aim to improve community management of human-wildlife conflicts and enhance their livelihood opportunities.

"The grants and equipment handed over today are community-based, implemented on community land to empower residents to address both human-wildlife conflict and livelihood challenges in the Zambezi region," said Minister Shifeta.

Germany’s representative, Nuria Stormer, highlighted the shared vision between Namibia and Germany for nature conservation. “Namibian wildlife holds great potential for benefiting rural communities, but those living with wildlife often bear the brunt of conservation, facing losses of income, livestock, crops, and sometimes human life.”

Beneficiaries expressed their gratitude, with Bamunu Conservancy Chairperson Jerome Lutibezi noting that the grants motivate them to continue their farming efforts. “Our community's contribution to global biodiversity has often gone unnoticed, but this support encourages us to keep doing what we love, knowing it benefits our people.”