Community Based Tourism

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) in Namibia with its partners through the National Policy on Community Based Natural Resources Management have been implementing the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Program. CBNRM aims to empower local communities by recognising that natural resources and wildlife are of more value when jointly managed through empowering local communities in the management of the resource; while at the same time sharing management responsibilities and benefits with government. To date, 20% of Namibia’s conservation areas falls within the ambit of the CBNRM program; contributing significantly to national conservation and development goals through communal and freehold conservancies.

Through support of the UNDP-GEF Project, OKACOM is contributing to the establishment of Community Based Tourism by supporting demonstration project in George Mukoya and Muduva Nyangana conservancies. These conservancies are located on the northern border of the Khaudom National Park and form part of the Khaudom North Complex; a conservation area which also falls within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA). OKACOM is facilitating the rehabilitation of water infrastructures and construction of the Sikerete tourist campsite. The project further complements capacity building of the concessionaires (Gciriku Traditional Authority, George Mukoya and Muduva Nyangana conservancies) to operate a tourism enterprise with private partnership.