The SWM Programme in Namibia is part of the SWM Community Conservancy Project, a regional initiative focused on harmonizing wildlife conservation with food security and enhancing local livelihoods. Implemented in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), the Namibia site includes 12 Community Conservancies and one community association in Bwabwata National Park. This site is located within key transboundary wildlife corridors that support the free movement of wildlife. The project strengthens the community conservancy model, promoting local governance and sustainable wildlife management. It aims to empower communities through improved legal and institutional frameworks, enhancing their capacity to manage and benefit from their wildlife heritage sustainably.
The SWM Programme in Namibia collaborates with 12 Community Conservancies and one community association in Bwabwata National Park. Field activities are coordinated by FAO and implemented by WWF Namibia, in partnership with the national government.
Output 1: Community rights and governance
The Legal Hub is expected to be launched in early 2025.
Output 2: Adaptive wildlife management
The SWM Programme supports community wildlife management plans, including annual game counts, daily patrols, livestock grazing schemes and wildlife monitoring. This data informs adaptive management actions and the need for updates to wildlife quotas by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. The Programme also aids the Salambala Community Conservancy in establishing a fisheries reserve on the Chobe River to reduce pressures from overfishing, with annual fish surveys supported by the Programme.
Output 3: Healthy and sustainable supply chains and consumption
The SWM Programme is supporting chilli production value chains in four Community Conservancies (Kwandu, Mashi, Balyerwa, and Wuparo). In the Zambezi region, 51 small-scale poultry producers (80% women) received training and mentorship in poultry production, including sanitation practices, vaccination, and poultry house construction. Lima Farms acquired a 1000-egg incubator with support from the Programme. In the Kavango region, 72 community members, mostly women and youth, were trained in goat husbandry, animal health, and nutrition.
Output 4: Zoonotic risk prevention and management
No activities were carried out under this output.
The Kavango–Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area is one of the largest conservation areas in the world, spanning the international borders of five countries in Southern Africa. It is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, much of which resides outside national parks and protected ...
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