Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Various challenges must still be overcome to reach the objectives of the National Rangeland Management Policy and Strategy (NRMPS).
This was said by the National Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum following its review of the NRMPS about a fortnight ago.
The key requirement for restoration of Namibia’s rangelands is the actual change in rangeland management practises at grass-roots level.
Another key factor hampering the implementation of the policy is the lack of land tenure security of communities in non-title deed areas.
Therefore, communities should have the legal right to manage their respective grazing areas’ rangelands, the forum concluded.
Although bush encroachment has been addressed and talked about for a long time, the efforts to reduce the effect of the problem on the ground are still minimal.
All stakeholders agreed that support is needed to further strengthen the work already done so that real rangeland improvement at ground level can happen and all invested parties can build on the momentum already created.
Progress must be continued within the current model of a public-private partnership where all stakeholders take joint responsibility for the restoration of Namibia’s rangelands.
The forum is part of the project to ensure the speedy implementation of the NRMPS, which is jointly funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.