Friday 6 December 2013

Action needed against poachers

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, on Monday launched a scathing attack on illegal loggers and poachers across the African continent.
"It is unacceptable for governments to allow illegal logging and poaching of valuable animals to continue at the current rate," Mutorwa said at the opening of the 19th session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC).
Mutorwa said the time has come to do everything possible to stop the killing of rhinos and elephants in Southern and East Africa.
According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia last year reported 78 cases of elephant poaching compared to at least six known cases this year.
In South Africa, cases of rhino poaching are soaring, with 668 rhinos that were killed last year and 635 so far this year.
Mutorwa stressed that illegal logging in Africa should be stopped as a matter of urgency.
He said the wildlife sector, like the forestry sector, still faces many challenges including poaching, illegal bush and game meat trade and human-wildlife conflicts that affect farmers and wildlife.
He said the lack of recognition of these sectors as a significant contributor to the national economy results in insufficient allocation from State coffers.
Mutorwa stressed that the AFWC should debate both forestry and wildlife issues and challenges in a balanced manner to ensure that both sectors contribute significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.
"Despite the deforestation, illegal logging and poaching activities in the region much of Africa remains covered with forests and woodlands," said Mutorwa.
Southern Africa has been at the forefront of sustainable wildlife management efforts for decades, with spectacular recovery of wildlife populations and numerous programs involving local communities in wildlife management, he said.
Namibia has developed a number of incentives that have led to the recovery of wildlife populations on private land and in communal areas on state land through the conservancy program, said Mutorwa.
"Wildlife-based land uses and the legal production of game meat have the potential to contribute significantly to food security and the economy at local and national levels."
But natural resources are being seriously eroded by deforestation, which will be further compounded by the impacts of climate change.
Mutorwa said that bush encroachment also affects agricultural production in Namibia and needs to be addressed as an issue of national concern.
The ministry is developing a scheme to reduce bush encroachment by possible subsiding bush control and the utilisation of bush removed.
Mutorwa added that deforestation in the woodlands of northern Namibia is also a challenge for law enforcement officials and the ministry is therefore supporting 44 established and emerging community forests, building the capacity of rural communities.
Uncontrolled fires are also a serious problem in many parts of the country.

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