WINDHOEK – The implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy last week started officially. Roelie Venter who is appointed as Coordinator and Marie-Louise Wimo as Administrator, took up office on April 1 at the NAU. These two persons will be seen as full personnel members of the NAU for the next 4 years, even though this is a project which will end after 4 years.
The implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy is made possible with a contribution of nearly N$10 million by the European Union and N$2,4 million by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water & Forestry as own contribution.
The function of the Coordination Unit will be mainly to coordinate actions with regard to the implementing of the Rangeland Strategy which are currently done by various organisations and to bring them in line with the National Rangeland Policy and Strategy. The results of these actions include inter alia – planning with all role players to draft an integrated working plan the best practices and lessons learned applicable to Namibian conditions and the availability thereof to role players and farmers drafting the Terms of Conditions for an annual national audit with regard to rangeland in Namibia which can serve as reference source the monitoring of the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy and the development of incentives which could be used as encouragement for farmers to apply sustainable rangeland principles A Steering Committee under the chairmanship of the Director of Forestry, Joseph Hailwa will as umbrella organisation supervise the implementation of the National Rangeland Strategy.