Chamwe Kaira
Hunters provided 254 038 kilograms of meat to communities during the 2024/2025 financial year as communal conservancies continued to support rural livelihoods and conservation efforts.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said conservancies generated N$81.1 million in revenue during the year. Of this amount, 15.4% was reinvested into community development projects. The sector sustained 2 037 jobs. Just over half of conservancies met the five key compliance requirements. Annual game counts and audits were conducted to guide wildlife management.
Tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product is projected to increase to N$15.4 billion in 2025/2026 and N$16 billion in 2026/2027. Gaming revenue is expected to rise to N$41.1 million and N$45.6 million over the same period.
During the year, 1 383 human-wildlife conflict incidents were reported. The Ministry introduced seven mitigation measures.
It fitted early warning collars to 31 lions, 20 elephants and 12 hyenas across Etosha National Park and northwestern, northeastern and northern conservancies. It built 44 predator-proof kraals and installed 360 floodlights in north-western and northern conservancies.
The ministry drilled 19 boreholes in the north-west and north-east and upgraded two waterholes at Kavango Cattle Ranch. It erected 200 warning signs for hippos and crocodiles and repaired water and protection infrastructure in several conservancies.
In total, 41 protection infrastructure projects were implemented in north-western, northern and north-eastern areas. The Ministry also supplied 165 communication devices and equipment to game guards in the north-west, north-east and Otjozondjupa.
Under concession agreements, 104 new jobs were created through 15 contracts. These included the Sossusvlei Shuttle Services concession and the Khaudom Trophy Hunting Concession. The Sandwich Harbour head concession contract was signed. Four other concessions were awarded, including one in Dorob National Park covering the Zeila Wreck and Honeb areas.
The ministry captured and translocated 248 animals under the Wildlife Breeding Stock Scheme for previously disadvantaged Namibians.
In the tourism and gaming sectors, N$32 million in gaming revenue was collected during 2024/2025. Tourism contributed N$14.3 billion to GDP in 2022.
For the 2025/2026 to 2028/2029 period, the ministry plans to implement management plans for protected areas, including Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Hardap and Gross Barmen.
It aims to establish nine tourism enterprises after concluding head concession contracts, conduct 30 wildlife population surveys in communal conservancies and selected protected areas, and translocate 210 game animals to national parks, communal land and beneficiaries of the Wildlife Breeding Stock Scheme.
