Land reform minister Calle Schlettwein yesterday officiated at the opening of a one-day workshop for the Integrated Regional Land Use Plan for the Oshana region where he urged participants to be at the forefront of developmental initiatives.
The principal objective of the workshop, is among others, to develop an IRLUP with a framework database with a reliable and dynamic GIS model that can be used as a basic information layer for development, conservation and management of the land use in the region and country.
The workshop will also come up with maps reflecting the various land uses in the region, which will enable stakeholders to determine with certainty, through a matching process, the properties of the land that are at their disposal as contrasted against the intended land uses. Addressing delegates at the opening of the workshop virtually, Schlettwein said IRLUP should be locally
driven.
“Those who live on and from the land are the most important stakeholders. Broad participation in the IRLUP development process is a must, it gives an opportunity for all local stakeholders and regional and local government to formulate and determine future land uses and practices,” he added.
He said the ultimate product will be the reflection of delegates’ inputs towards its development. “The head office and the consultants are here to assist in the formulation and compilation of the report, but ideas and land use themes must come from you,” he said.
According to Schlettwein, the process resonates with the decentralisation of government and the bottom-up planning approach. “It is a known fact that countries which have clear plans on the utilisation of their natural resources are likely to attract good investments while at the same time land related conflicts are prevented,” Schlettwein said, adding that Namibia has chosen to be such a country, which promotes sustainable development through the development of clear land use plans.
“We have a comprehensive land reform plan in place, of which IRLUPs are an important component. We have finalised IRLUPs for the //Kharas region, Hardap, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa regions, and now we will start developing the plan for the Oshana region,” said Schlettwein.
He said the ministry is embarking upon this project at a backdrop of a dwindling natural resources base where upon the needs of the growing population rest.
Essentially, he said, natural resources such as land and water are declining both in quantity and quality due to factors such as climate change, industrial competition, increased rural and urban demands, degradation and pollution. In addition, Schlettwein said to ensure environmental sustainability, the IRLUPs are subjected to the process of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to ensure economic, social and ecological sustainability of the proposed land use allocations.
He said this is not a duplication, but an enhancement of the IRLUP. “The process of land use planning often involves conflicting options of land uses. It is thus the task of a SEA to help to assess and compare the different options based on the objective criteria,” he said.