Bethanie, !Han /Awab Conservancy, Berseba Constituency //Kharas Region, 7th November 2022-The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta yesterday officiated at the handover ceremony for the Water Sustainable Livelihoods, Water Utilization and Management project handover at the !Han/Awab Conservancy, //Kharas Region funded under the CBNRM EDA Project that is implemented through the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia.
In his keynote address Hon. Pohamba Shifeta, stated that “The project entitled: “the Sustainable Livelihoods, Water Utilization and Management Project” by the !Han /Awab Conservancy in Kharas region is funded by the Environmental Investment Fund at the tune of about N$ 1.2 million. The project aims at enhancing environmentally sound water utilization and management by implementing solar powered water pumping systems as a clean technology option in delivering water security and replacing fossil fuels (diesel) as energy source thereby reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from diesel powered systems”. He further emphasized that the official handover of these project indicates the commitment Namibia has in her pursuit to ensuring sustainable natural resource management as well as an integral part of national efforts to fight against climate change impact, ensuring water provision to most drought-stricken areas of our society.
Situated in the Berseba Constituency, the !Han /Awab Conservancy was funded to the tune of N$ 1 199 000,00 under Ecosystem Based Adaptation investment window under the Empower to Adapt (EDA) project, which is centred around Creating Climate Change Resilient Livelihoods through Community Based Natural Resource Management in Namibia (CBNRM EDA Project).
The !Han /Awab Conservancy, covers an area of over 192 747 hectares, a self – governing entity managed by members with fixed boundaries adjacent to communal and private land users. Situated in the //Kharas Region, within the Berseba Constituency of the //Kharas Regional Council and 145 kilometres south west from Keetmanshoop and is located in Bethanie.
The project aim is to enhance the livelihoods of its residents while contributing greatly to carbon sequestration and reduction of GHG gases emissions. The specific objectives are to build capacities of conservancy members on conservation agriculture (back yard gardens., enhancing environmentally sound water utilization and management by implementing the solar powered water pumping systems (SPIS) as a clean technology option for water pumping system, allowing the use of solar energy for water pumping, replacing fossil fuels (diesel) as energy source and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from diesel power water pumping systems.
To date the projects has seen Five (5) water points at Nau-nab, Driehuk, Kameelhoek, Ludolfpos and Misgundt have been rehabilitated and fitted with solar energy water pumping systems (solar pumps, solar panels and water tanks, community tap and drinking troughs for livestock). A security fence has been established at each water point however the gates and locks still to be delivered at the five water points. The retrofitted boreholes from diesel to solar powered system, with each water point installed with a 10 000-liter tanks and animal trough to supply water for livestock and human consumption respectively. In total the CBNRM EDA project has rehabilitated and retrofitted more than 164 boreholes across different regions in the country, and ten out of this is implemented in Han/Awab Conservancy in Kharas region. The Han/Awab Conservancy project directly benefited a total number of 1250 community members residing in the conservancy area with portable water as well as 30 backyard gardens established contributing to household food security. In addition, the project contributed significantly to communities’ wellbeing as the previous diesel cost for pumping is reduced to non-cost.
