Press Releases

The report by Adam Cruise and Izzy Sasada on the Namibian Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme is based on highly unethical and illegally conducted research, the results of which were twisted to suit their agenda. This pair of journalists entered our conservancies and spoke to people without obtaining a research permit from the government or even informing our conservancy offices of their intentions. Those of us who recall speaking to them and are quoted in their report were misrepresented, as our statements were taken out of context and used to tell a story about Namibia that is untrue.

As representatives of Namibian conservancies, we hereby condemn both the methods and the outcome of Cruise and Sasada’s report in the strongest possible terms. The authors and the organisations that financed this research have broken Namibian laws and shown extreme disrespect for Namibian people and their rights.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is aware of the unfotunate incident in Torra conservancy. They mention the causes of HWC, the actions that will be taken and what steps people need to take in order to mitigate HWC.

NACSO, the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support organisations, notes and supports the position of the Governor of Zambezi Region, the Hon. Colonel L.A. Sampofu, taken in his letter to Members of the European Parliament, urging them to investigate how hunting has secured conservation in the region, and not threatened it.

NACSO, the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations fully supports the recent decisions of the Namibian Government in respect of conservation hunting and trophies derived from it.

On Saturday, Sorris-Sorris Conservancy hosted a gala dinner – the first of its kind for conservancies in Namibia. Many conservancies struggle to cover their basic operating costs, yet Sorris-Sorris is the first to try a new way of raising funds. The objectives of the gala dinner were: to assist the conservancy with funds for human-wildlife conflict; to put money towards building staff accommodation; to help cover the costs for the upcoming Conservancy Cup to be held by the conservancy.

The Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations, NACSO, is gravely concerned over the recent rhino poaching incident in the Uukwaluudhi Conservancy. This is the latest case in a commercial poaching upsurge in Namibia. NACSO is fully aware of the seriousness of the poaching threat facing our country and is working closely with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) to provide any possible support that can assist in the fight against wildlife crime.

The Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations, NACSO, is fully supportive of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Save the Rhino Trust in efforts to combat all wildlife crime, including the poaching of rhinos.

The 2012 Markhor Award for Outstanding Conservation Performance has been won jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO).