NILALEG spearheads the Integrated Landscape Management Conference
In a significant stride towards sustainable development, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is spearheading the Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance to Eradicate Poverty (NILALEG) Project ,which is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). This initiative aims to revolutionise land management practices across key agricultural and forest landscapes, integrating poverty reduction with environmental sustainability.
In alignment with their goals, the NILALEG Project, in collaboration with the International University of Management (IUM) – Faculty of Environment & Sustainable Tourism (FEST), recently hosted an annual national Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) conference in Windhoek. This conference brought together an array of stakeholders including government bodies, research institutions, and civil society organisations engaged in monitoring and reporting to international bodies like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta underscored the profound impact of environmental degradation on Namibia, affecting 70% of the population dependent on natural resources. He emphasised that the NILALEG project is pivotal in addressing these challenges by promoting integrated landscape management. Particularly, he highlighted the project’s objective of restoring degraded lands to enhance drought resilience — a critical initiative given Namibia’s vulnerability to climate change.
UNDP Resident Representative to Namibia, Alka Bhatia, elaborated on the project’s successes, including sustainable practices such as the harvesting of Devil’s Claw, which has improved livelihoods while conserving natural resources. She also pointed to the integration of innovative digital tools such as geospatial technologies and drones, which play a crucial role in monitoring landscapes and guiding adaptive management decisions.
Shifeta commended the conference for facilitating dialogue among diverse experts, enabling the derivation of practical solutions to environmental challenges. “This approach balances conservation, agricultural practices, and sustainable development, with a strong emphasis on public-private partnerships (PPPs),” he added.
Bhatia noted that “the ILM Conference exemplifies Namibia’s commitment to environmental governance and sustainable development, ensuring that our natural resources support both present and future generations”. She emphasised the conference’s role in promoting partnerships, knowledge sharing, and the integration of scientific and indigenous knowledge — a cornerstone for advancing sustainable land management practices.
The conference proved a pivotal platform for knowledge sharing and strategic planning. Discussions encompassed the impact of climate change on Namibian landscapes, techniques for rehabilitating degraded areas, and the integration of digital tools for effective landscape management. Participants also explored public-private partnerships for nature-based initiatives. Consistent feedback from participants at the ILM Conference was the need to share what they had learnt here with a wider audience across Namibia, and many spoke of the fascinating discoveries and learnings they had uncovered here.
The NILALEG project and the ILM Conference are a testament to Namibia’s dedication to sustainable development. The conference helped lay the groundwork for sustainable land management practices that benefit both people and the environment and demonstrated that by fostering collaboration, innovation, and informed decision-making, Namibia is poised to achieve environmental resilience while uplifting livelihoods across its landscapes.
Kirsty Watermeyer
Spearheaded by the NILALEG project, that is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and funded by the Global Environmental Facility.
