The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has allocated N$80 million for development purposes. This amount is set to cater for the rehabilitation of old and new facilities as well as upgrading of tourist roads, sewerage and water supply in protected areas, including the fencing of national parks and conservancies.
This forms part of the Ministry’s total budget of N$570,705,000 for the 2023/24 financial year, of which N$490 705 000 is earmarked for operations.
Under the current financial year, the Ministry intends to renovate its Head Office building at a cost of N$9.97 million, as well as the construction and extension of staff houses and offices totaling N$16.98 million. In terms of road upgrades, N$12.25 million is allocated, while N$1 million is set for the upgrading of sewer and water supply systems in protected areas.
MEFT further seeks to spend N$6.4 million on fencing of conservation areas, and a further N$15.65 million on integrated Forest Management. While N$7.1 million is earmarked for wildlife translocation, and N$350,000 for the water provision of game.
“It is notable that this is an increase of 11% in Operational Budget and 50% increase in Development Budget compared to the budget allocation in 2022/23 and this results in an overall budget increase of 16% for 2023/2024,” MEFT’s Minister Pohamba Shifeta said while motivating his budget in parliament.
“Although I must state that the budget is still not sufficient for the Ministry to execute all of its operational programs as expected, we shall strive to execute our mandate to our level best. The Ministry remains fully cognisant of the fiscal constraints within which we are operating and shall endeavor to operate in a most efficient manner for maximum impact,” he stressed.
The Ministry allocated N$212,592,326 towards wildlife and protected area management, which Shifeta said, such areas play an important role in conserving wildlife by serving important habitats and landscapes which are key tourist attraction,
The upgrading and re-gravelling of the road network in Etosha National Park, especially 195km of the worst sections in the western part of the Park, including road maintenance works undertaken on 74km of the roads in the central and eastern sections of the Park, are some of the accomplishments Shifeta has highlighted.
“In terms of essential infrastructure, staff houses, offices and tourism receptions were constructed in the Skeleton Coast, Dorob National Parks and the Cape Cross Seal Reserve with co-funding from the German Government through KfW,”
“With regard to wildlife management, rhino poaching remains a serious concern with 87 rhinos poached in 2022 compared to 45 in 2021. Whereas cases of elephant poaching declined with four elephants poached in 2022 compared to 10 in 2021. More arrests were made in this regard,” he stated.
The Minister emphasised that the protection of wildlife and law enforcement is a priority programme for the 2023/2024 financial year and the focus will be on ensuring human capacity and manpower to fight wildlife crime; provision of suitable and sufficient equipment, techniques and supplies; providing surveillance, patrolling and detection; conducting planning, intelligence and investigation.
The budget was further cascaded towards the Environment and Natural Resources Protection, which was allocated the second biggest chunk of N$133,178,831, with Policy, Supervision, and Support Services, coming in third with N$96,398,758.
The Ministry’s Infrastructure and Development, Maintenance, Monitoring, and Evaluation division came forth with N$75,107,597, mainly for repair and upgrade of protected areas’ fences, construction, and renovation of staff houses and offices.
In fifth place with an allocation of N$29,839,429 is the Protection and Management of Key Species and Natural Habitats department, a section that spearheads programmes geared towards monitoring and research, to guide the sustainable conservation and management of species of high conservation value.
Tourism Growth Development and Gaming Regulations division is the least funded with an allocation of N$23,588,061, and this focuses on putting in place a favourable enabling and regulatory environment for the sustained growth of the tourism and gaming industry so that it contributes to the socio-economic development of the country.
