Namibia has secured a conservation financing agreement valued at more than N$1 billion (US$63 million) through the launch of the Namibia for Life Project Finance for Permanence initiative.
The agreement was signed in Windhoek on May 20 and aims to secure long-term conservation funding for Namibia’s community-based conservation programme and support the protection of more than 20 million hectares covering over 20% of the country.
The initiative is supported by Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Community Conservation Fund of Namibia, the Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management Support Organisations, WWF and several international partners, including the Bezos Earth Fund, Development Bank of Namibia, Enduring Earth and the Global Environment Facility.
Namibia for Life is described as Africa’s first Project Finance for Permanence model focused on securing long-term funding, policies and systems for conservation.
The programme builds on Namibia’s communal conservancy model, established in 1998, under which communities manage wildlife and natural resources.
The initiative currently supports 87 communal conservancies and is expected to expand to as many as 100 over time for more than 283 000 beneficiaries.
According to the announcement, Namibia’s conservation model has contributed to the recovery of several wildlife species, including black rhino populations, which have grown from a few hundred animals in 1990 to around 2 000 today.
Namibia for Life aims to strengthen conservancy governance, improve natural resource management and expand economic opportunities for rural communities.
The initiative includes an endowment fund intended to provide stable long-term financing beyond short-term project cycles.
A dedicated Socio-Economic Development Fund will support local enterprises, job creation, skills development and small-scale infrastructure projects linked to conservation and rural livelihoods.
The Community Conservation Fund of Namibia will manage the financing mechanism while technical support will continue to assist conservancies with governance, financial management and conservation practices.
