Nyae Nyae Development Foundation

In March 2020, a European Union funded conservancy governance project was started in the San run N≠a Jaqna Conservancy. As the conservancy were about to start visiting villages and consulting with their members as part of the project, the  COVID-19 nationwide shut-down happened and the village meetings were put on hold. However, earlier this month as lock down restrictions began to...

Throughout Namibia, water is a scarce commodity, if the water infrastructure is broken, this adds an extra level of challenges. The San in N≠a Jaqna Conservancy have suffered as water infrastructure has been broken and remained in disrepair for year after year. Villagers have had to walk for kilometres on a daily basis to meet their basic water needs. The lack...

The San  in Nyae Nyae Conservancy have become increasingly reliant on farming. Climate change is having a huge impact on the San communities traditional way of living and food security. The ‘home gardening’ project supported by the Nyae Nyae Development Fund Namibia (NNDFN) and its donors is bearing fruit after a good rainy season. The recent rains have ensured that the...

N≠a Jaqna Conservancy, the biggest conservancy in Namibia at over 9,000km², increases its game guard numbers to better monitor and reduce wildlife crime in the area. As the custodians of local wildlife, N≠a Jaqna takes its job very seriously and believes that it creates a win-win situation by creating employment for the local community and at the same time increasing vigilance over its wildlife.

We all know ‘Water is Life,’ especially in the dry climate where the Nyae Nyae Conservancy is located. Rian Brandt has been engaged over the last few years to ensure that the water infrastructure for conservancy villages, their schools, gardens and livestock is reliable. Currently funded by the Environmental Investment Fund, Rian will spend more than 60 days in the Conservancy...

The European Union (EU) together with Namibia Nature Foundation, Nyae Nyae Development Foundation of Namibia and Namibia Development Trust is pleased to announce the formal launching of 2 EU grants that will take place on 13 March, 10h00 at the Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organizations (Nacso) Board Room, 19 Lossen Street, Windhoek. The EU has recently approved 2 grants to...

From "Onwettige weiding kortwiek duiwelsklou-oeste" - article in the Republikein from 24 Feb 2020.  The illegal grazing of cattle and the erection of fences in the Tsumkwe area has hampered the San communities' devil's claw crops. This is what Chief Tsamkxao Bobo # oma of the Nyae Nyae Municipal Conservation Area and Community Forest says. He told Republican that it is not only...

Over the last five years the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Community Forest has actively managed and recorded fire in their area. They took this step as a result of discovering that fire was causing more damage to the environment than over-grazing. Fire was found to be having a major impact and in 2010 50% on the  8,992km² area was devastated and burnt. They realised it wasn’t a once-off, but part of a worrying trend threatening livelihoods, lives and wildlife.

The current fires in Australia are a stark reminder of the damage that fires can cause and the danger of uncontrolled hot fires. As climate change takes a hold across the globe, events that used to be rare, now become an annual or seasonal occurrence.

As funds start to flow from the Green Climate Fund (GCF)/Environmental Investment Fund (EIF)project, the SAN community in Nyae Nyae have used the funds to protect their village water points from elephants. The much needed funds that were awarded by GCF/EIF are immediately benefitting the community.

The San community in Nyae Nyae have relatively little Human Wildlife conflict in the area, even though there are an estimated 1000-1500 elephants in the area. There’s little conflict as innovative  arrangement between the conservancy and Trophy Hunters have ensured there are more than  over 18 functioning game water points in the area. Despite this, the drought that has impacted the whole of Namibia has obviously put greater strain on wildlife looking for water. This search for water has meant that elephants are more likely to stray into the Conservancy area inhabited by people. This means there’s a greater likelihood of village water points being attacked and damaged. The protection of the water points will mean that the community can hopefully avoid distress in the village and also the inevitable failure of gardens and other projects dependent on water.