23 Feb 2017

Ngamiland District Conservation Committee is faced with lack of funds, which hinders the organistion from realising its optimum results, the chairperson, Mr Ditlhapi Atsuwe has said.

Speaking at a meeting recently, Mr Atsuwe said the committee had a mammoth task to sensitise the Ngamiland community on sustainable use of natural resources. However, their efforts were slacking due to lack of funds. Ngamiland, he said, has many people dependent on natural resources for livelihoods such as grass, tswii, wild fruits and trees used for medicinal purposes.

Mr Atsuwe therefore said the committee had a role to recommend action on threatened natural resources to the Agricultural Resources Board (ARB) on minerals, water, soil, vegetation, wildlife and fauna resources. In his remarks, the Forestry and Range Management regional coordinator, Mr Peter Olekantse commended the committee for commitment in conservation and sustainable management of resources despite being faced with lack of funds.

Mr Olekantse observed that lack of funds was a national challenge since the country still faced  financial constraints, hence ministries and departments were forced to re-scale budgets. He said the committee played a vital role in liaising with the Department of Forestry and Range Management in peripherals where there are no officers. BOPA