On the 5th May 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) Launched the Conservation Relief, Recovery and Resilient Facility (COVID-19 Facility). The Facility aims to provide financial relief to CBNRM institutions affected by the pandemic. A task Team has been appointed by the MEFT in order to ensure coordination in resource mobilisation and funds disbursal.
The Objective of the facility is to ensure the continuation of anti-poaching activities, mitigation of human wildlife conflict, preservation of natural resources and the management of wildlife.
The underlying goal is to ensure that CBNRM entities are able to weather the storm as a result of the pandemic and are in a position to recover as quickly as possible in a post COVID-19 era. The financial relief is provided in equal quarters for a period of up to one year. The first quarter started in May 2020 and the final quarter shall be April 2021.
Key partners participating in the facility are the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), Namibia Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO), Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), World Wildlife Fund Namibia, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), NedBank Namibia, Namibia Nature Foundation, B2Gold, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), Namibia Chamber of Environment, TNC, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, KfW Development Bank, Tourism Supporting Conservation Trust (TOSCO). A total amount of N$6,576,500 has thus far been contributed towards the CRRRF first quarter disbursements.
The table below illustrate funds distribution.
