- Conservation and Sustainable use of Natural Resources
Community Forests are one form of Community-based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) prominent in Namibia. Namibia is the most arid country in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the relatively low population number of only just above 2 Mio people, the country is prone to overuse and land degradation, including forest degradation. Only 5% of Namibia are considered dry-sub-humid, and forests in Namibia are mostly fine-leaved savannah species, with only just the north-eastern part of Namibia being characterised by a broad-leaved savannah ecosystem. The NAFOLA project is being implemented in seven north-western and central regions in Namibia which are to be arid to semi-arid.
Thus, the NAFOLA project was designed with the following goal: to maintain current dry forests and the ecosystem goods and services they provide in 13 Community Forests covering over 500,000ha of forest lands, through wide scale adoption of SLM, SFM, and other improved technologies. The project objective is to reduce pressure on forest resources by facilitating the gazettement of Community Forests (CFs), and increasing the capacity for the uptake of improved agriculture, livestock and forestry management practices in the community forest areas.
The project has made good progress in assisting 13 CFs in implementing the necessary steps for official gazettement, and 2 additional ones with supporting implementation plans. The official gazettement and legalisation have been very slow and have partially been standing in the way of starting practical support to CF Management Committees – yet to be recognised. There are innovative suggestions on how this can be overcome through interim arrangements possibly under the Forestry Act. Moving towards supporting the CFs in starting the implementation of their management plans is critical now. Overall, at midterm, the project is between Moderately Unsatisfactory to Moderately Satisfactory and performance must be improved. Certain decisions on funds allocation i.e. to the Tallismanis Auction Kraal, but also other costly decisions and expenditures, have led to an upfront expenditure of 60% of the project funds, with around 40% remaining.